The 81st Hunger Games: Dead Silence
by Schwan
Summary: Jack and Rin are two friends and volunteers from District 12.Urea is a mysterious prodigy fighter from District 4.Katniss and Peeta and Haymitch are three of District 12's four 's the 81st Hunger Games,and in a tale of tragedy,love, and pure iron will,these men, women, and teens tell their stories,because not everything is as it seems... First story in the Silence Series.
1. District Twelve

Chapter 1

District Twelve

Jackson Axdiez walked forward with his little sister, his mother, and his father. The family was slowly making their way towards the square.

Jack was fifteen, his sister, Hazel, twelve. He had turned in countless tesserae to support his family and had started working in the mines when he was his sister's age. His best friend, Rin Heron was also fifteen and had done the same in her life, though she hadn't turned in quite as many tesseraes.

Jack and Hazel separated from their family and Jack put a comforting hand on his sister's shoulder. She looked up at him fearfully. He just smiled back, trying to reassure her, and then ruffled her hair. She hesitantly smiled back and he then patted her head. The Peacekeepers ventured over and separated the two, guiding them to their age groups.

Jack joined the herded fifteen year-olds, who were chattering with hushed voices. Rin walked up to him. She had long black hair, fair skin, and brown eyes, along with a slim, but tall build.

"Hey," she said when she was in front of him.

"Hey," he replied.

"Good luck."

"You too."

That was all the words needed.

Jack looked up at the podium in front of them all. On it was, as usual, two glass balls filled with the boys' and girls' names, and five chairs. In the five chairs was Mayor Undersee, Effie Trinket, Haymitch Abernathy, along with the two newest District 12 Hunger Games victors: Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark. Those two had both won seven years ago during the 74th Hunger Games when they both nearly ate poisonous berries to end the game.

To Jack's surprise, Haymitch didn't seem very drunk this time around. He was loud as usual, but he seemed to have better control of himself.

"Hey, look," Jack whispered, patting Rin on the shoulder. "I think they managed to keep Haymitch from getting drunk and making a complete laughingstock of District Twelve."

Rin looked up at the podium and grinned.

The clock struck two and Mayor Undersee stepped forward. He told the story that he told every year. Of the rise of Panem and the Dark Days. He then read off the four District 12 victors, with Haymitch, Katniss, and Peeta on the list, who sat up a little straighter when their names were called.

"Very well then," the mayor said turning to Effie. "I'll pass this off to you."

Effie also repeats her little speech of how she is honored to be here. This used to be fake words until Katniss and Peeta won. Everyone in District Twelve knows they are now true.

"Well, let's get started!" she said excitedly, already making her way to the girls' ball. She made a show of rustling around in the ball and then pulled out a slip of paper. She dashed back to the microphone and read, "Hazel Axdiez!"

Jack's blood froze.

His breath stopped.

His muscles turned to jelly.

In Jack's own little world, there was silence.

Dead silence.

It wasn't so much that she had been picked. For some reason, that wasn't even the worst part. It was that he couldn't do anything to help her.

Hazel passed the 15 year-old group and a grumbling started in the crowd, just as it had before the 74th games, when Prim had been picked and Katniss had volunteered. But Jack could do nothing. He could not volunteer.

Jack watched, unbelieving, as his sister walked toward the stage. Suddenly, someone grabbed Hazel's wrist, and then Rin was there.

"I volunteer!" she all but shouted.

Dead silence.

Effie looked excited. She motioned Rin forward and someone else withdrew Hazel, who looked confused and still scared at the same time.

Rin mounted the steps and shook the mayor's, Haymitch's, Katniss's, and Peeta's hands. Then she moved to the left of the stage and stood tall.

"Well," Effie said, already moving on to the boy's glass ball.. "Let's continue, shall we?" She quickly dunked her hand into the papers and withdrew it with the first slip her hand found. She hurried back to the podium and read the name in a clear voice. "Tyler Heron!"

Now it was Rin's turn to look despairing. Jack was shocked that this could happen. The chances of both of their twelve year-old sibling could be chosen were one to a million.

Jack jerked his head around and looked to see the Heron family's reaction. Rin's parents and two older sisters were standing stock still with pale faces. Out of the corner of his eye, Jack saw Tyler pass the roped off area for the 15 year-olds.

His body moved without consent, and soon he had a firm hand on Tyler's shoulder, stopping the younger boy. "I volunteer!" he yelled.

Dead silence.

Two twelve year-olds and two volunteers was a first in _all_ of the districts.

Effie recovered first. "Lovely!" she said, though it sounded forced. "Come up here then."

Jack propelled Tyler towards his shocked family and turned to mount the steps.

He shook hands with the mayor, Haymitch, and Peeta, then Katniss.

But when he shook her hand, it was different from the others. He looked into her eyes and saw a bright fire in them. One that could not and would not be put out. He then remembered what they called her: Katniss, the girl who was on fire.

A perfect name.

He made his way over to Rin and stood next to her, risking a glance at her face, which said everything from _'Thank you.' _to_ 'I'm going to kill you for that.' _to _'Holy crap, I'm scared.'_

"Let's give these two a round of applause!" Effie squealed.

But before anybody could, Katniss stepped forward. Everyone watched as she touched the three middle fingers of her left hand and held it out to the two of them. Then, Peeta did the same, then Haymitch, then all of the 15 year-olds, then the miners, who knew them, then nearly everyone in the crowd.

And then, Rin did the unexpected. She returned the gesture. Jack followed her example.

Dead silence.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, Haymitch cleared his throat, and the revere was broken. Everyone dropped their hands and the victors sat in their chair once more.

The anthem played and Jack and Rin were whisked off to the Justice Building by Peacekeepers. They separated and received rooms to say their goodbyes in.

…

First it was his family.

"I'm so proud of you," his mother said in his ear as she hugged him. She pulled back and Jack saw tears in her eyes. His father did the same and said, "That took a lot of guts, Jack."

Hazel came next. She wrapped her arms around him and he did the same with her. "Promise me you'll come back home," she said when he released her.

"I can't promise you," Jack said sadly to her, ruffling her hair. "But I won't give up. I promise you that."

Hazel nodded, tears streaming down her face.

They all embraced in a family hug. "I love you," Jack said.

Then, they were gone.

Next came Rin's family.

"Thank you!" Rin's mother said as she embraced him. Her father and sisters did the same without a word, but looks that said the same thing.

Jack looked down at Tyler and smiled at him. The younger boy suddenly burst out: "Thank you so much! Keep my sister safe!"

Jack laughed and said, "Don't worry. I will." He then hugged the kid and that family departed also.

Last but not least, were the living victors.

Haymitch, Peeta, and Katniss all walked in, completely shocking Jack. All of their eyes darted around the room as if having old memories before locking on him where he was sitting.

Jack shrank back into the couch.

Haymitch laughed, immediately making Jack feel more comfortable. They made their way over and sat on the couch opposite from him.

"Aren't I going to be seeing you guys on the train?" Jack asked, now at ease.

"Yeah, you sure are," Peeta replied goodheartedly. "But things are a bit different this time around. We're giving you a token."

"_You _are giving me a token?"

Haymitch guffawed again and said, "Yeah that's right! You going deaf already?"

This time Jack had to laugh. He calmed himself and looked up at them.

"So…what is it?" he said, letting his curiosity get the best of him.

Katniss held up a simple piece of paper with a bird printed on it. It had printed flames burning from it and it wings were outstretched with its head turned. The blended oranges and reds made it look like it was really on fire.

"Uh…What is that?" Jack questioned, still in the dark.

"Tattoo," Katniss answered.

"Wow!" Jack exclaimed, holding his hands up as if they would attack him. "A _tattoo_?"

Peeta nodded solemnly. "Yep. It won't hurt or anything. It's a token to represent your district. But it is permanent."

"But you can dim it at will," Haymitch said.

"You're partner agreed," Katniss declared.

That closed the matter.

"Okay. I'll get one if she did," Jack complied. "But how the heck did you get such an awesome token?"

The three exchanged glances before Peeta said, "You get a lot of money if you win the Hunger Games."

"Oh."

Katniss peeled two pieces of plastic off of the paper the bird was on. Then she handed it to Haymitch, who held it in front of Jack.

"Where?" he asked simply.

Jack knew where he wanted it. He wanted the world to know about the fire. The fire of District Twelve.

"Right here," Jack said, pointing to his left eye.

Haymitch looked surprised. "You sure?" he asked. "I don't know if that will hurt or not."

Jack nodded.

"Alright then," he said with a sigh. Then he placed the paper over Jack's now closed left eye.

Jack felt an intense tingling where the bird was printed, like that side of his face had fell asleep. A little prick jolted through his eye, and then the paper was gone. Jack opened his eyes and looked at them. They on the other hand, seemed to be happy with the job.

"It looks pretty good, if I do say so myself," Haymitch boasted.

Jack bounced up and stared into the mirror on the right side of the room. His right eye had changed to gold, instead of blue, and the bird still looked like it was on fire.

Haymitch, Peeta, and Katniss stood and made their way to the door.

"See you on the train," Peeta said.

"Show it off," Haymitch ordered.

The two left, but Katniss stopped and looked at him. "It's a fire bird," she said simply. "They're called phoenix."

Then she was gone.

* * *

><p><strong>Next Time...<strong>

_"Tell us your strengths."_

_"Are you sure she's strong?"_

_"That's illegal, you know."_

_"Impressive, isn't it?"_

_"What does it do?"_


	2. A White Rat

Chapter 2

A White Rat

Katniss watched through the screen on the train, once more reliving her old memories. She jolted from them when the two kids stepped onto the platform, instantly getting mobbed by cameras because of their tokens: a phoenix on the eye and a nine-tailed kitsuneon the collarbone. **1***

The boy, Jackson, just wouldn't leave her mind. It wasn't he himself so much, but his appearance. He was tall and a bit muscular, though with a narrow build and an angled face. What _annoyed_ her most, though, was his hair. It was white, making him stand out like a beacon; and it grew diagonally: up and to the right. Katniss just wanted to smash the spike-looking thing back onto his head where it belonged.

"Is it just me, or is Jackson's hair look like it's going to get him killed?" Peeta said behind her.

Haymitch snorted. "No, it isn't you," he assured him. "We need to cut it so he doesn't die because of the rat sitting on his head."

Katniss snorted herself this time, having been thinking the exact same thing.

The doors to the train slid open and the three of them greeted the new tributes, acting as if they had not done so a few minutes before. They got the message and did it with equal perfection. The three victors acted surprised at the tokens, and the cameras ate it up.

It was annoying.

Soon enough, the two tributes became impatient, and practically barreled into the train. The doors slammed shut behind them.

"Stupid cameras," Rin muttered.

"Better get used to it," Haymitch said with a chuckle. "You'll be around them a lot for the remainder of your life."

Katniss and Peeta shot evil looks at the older victor.

The train lurched forward and Jack almost fell over.

Haymitch raised an eyebrow. "Not the most graceful in the District, huh?"

Rin glared at him. "No offense," she said. "But I hope I get trained by Katniss or Peeta."

"Ah, and that's what we're going to find out," Haymitch declared, totally unfazed. "Come on everyone. Let's go see which one of you gets to go with which."

…

Jack shoveled food into his mouth. The rich stuff was beyond amazing. It melted in his mouth with just the right amount of flavor.

"Slow down there," Peeta admonished with a laugh. "Can't have you growing fat before the Games, now can we?"

"You were like that and you know it," Katniss shot back at him in Jack's defense.

Jack grinned sheepishly and leaned back a little in an attempt to slow down. When his stomach had started to hurt, he leaned all the way back and sighed in content. Rin did the same in her chair beside him.

"Well now," Haymitch said after the plates were carried away. "Let's see who gets who. Rin, you go first."

Rin didn't know what to do. "Uh…" she said.

"Tell us your strengths," Peeta suggested. "What are you good at?"

"Oh," Rin said, understanding. "Well…I, uh."

"She's strong," Jack piped, and they all looked at him. "Believe me, she can harvest as much coal as any of the experienced guys."

"Strong?" Haymitch asked incredulously as he looked Rin's slight figure up and down.

"And she's good at long-range attacks," Jack continued. "I've seen it. She can hit with a stone a mile away."

"Are you sure she's strong?" Haymitch said, as if Jack hadn't even spoken that second part.

"I'm sure," Jack assured him.

"Doesn't look it to me." Haymitch held his ground.

"Believe me," Jack said, a little loudly. "She's strong."

"I believe you," Katniss interjected, a slight smile on her face.

Jack nodded in appreciation to her.

"Anyways," Peeta admonished. "Moving on."

"She's probably pretty good with a spear too," Jack added. "Good at camouflage, and she's also really, really quiet."

Haymitch nodded halfheartedly and pointed at him. "Now you," he said.

"Oh," Jack said, shifting in his seat. "I…."

"He's fast," Rin piped, flashing a mischievous grin at him. "Nimble. Has great reflexes, and is pretty agile."

"Ah, come on," Jack said, glaring at her.

Haymitch had his eyebrows raised. "Are you strong too?" he asked sarcastically.

"No, but he knows how to fight with dual blades," Rin cried with wicked enthusiasm.

"Where the heck did you learn to fight with dual blades?" Peeta asked.

"Well…ah," Jack mumbled, shooting a glare at Rin. "I kind of learned from one of the miners."

"That's illegal, you know," Katniss said, though she sounded a bit amused.

Jack shrunk into his seat.

"Don't worry, we won't tell anyone!" Peeta assured him.

"Anything else?" Haymitch suddenly said.

The two of them shook their heads.

"Well, looks like the two of you have got your hands full," Haymitch said, showing his teeth. "I would have paired them off with either of you, but it seems like their skills are kind of in between. Katniss, you should spend most of your time with Rin for her long-range attacks, and Peeta, you spend most of your time with Jack. But you two need to switch from time to time."

They nodded. It seemed they still listened to their former mentor.

"What about you?" Peeta asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh, I'll give a pointer here and there," Haymitch replied, popping the cap of a bottle. "But I think I deserve a bit of a break."

The other two victors rolled their eyes.

"I'm…uh, going to sleep," Jack said hesitantly. He really was tired from all the food he ate. Rin nodded, in similar condition.

"Go ahead," Peeta said, nodding at the two of them.

Jack and Rin stood up and departed to their separate train cars. Jack washed off, slipped out of his outer clothes, and collapsed tiredly into his bed.

…

There was a slamming on his door, and Jack leaped from under his covers. Effie burst through, trilling in a high voice of the 'Very big day!'

Katniss had warned the two of them about this.

Jack quickly slithered into a white T-shirt and black pants from his dresser, as his clothes from the previous day were missing.

He walked into the main car and was greeted by a delicious smell. Rin, Haymitch, Peeta, and Katniss all greeted him as they dug into their breakfast. Jack grinned and sat. Then he stuffed himself.

…

"There it is!" Rin cried in mild joy.

The shining Capitol exploded into Jack's eyesight as their train escaped the long tunnel. The two of them gasped at the incredible sight. Tall, sparkly towers with equally shiny building surrounding them poked the blue sky. Glittery cars rolled down paved streets and odd people walked to and fro.

"Whoa," Jack said.

"Impressive isn't it?"

The two of them whirled around to see Katniss standing just behind them with a grim smile. How did she sneak up on them like that? She joined them at the window and gazed at the stunning city with a mixture of awed remembrance and partially hidden anger.

"Was it this beautiful when you first saw it?" Rin asked.

Katniss grimaced a bit. "Nothing's changed," she replied.

"Nothing at all?"

She looked sideways at them and smiled. "Nothing at all."

Jack squinted out the window. "I don't get it," he said. "Why do they all look that way?"

Katniss returned her gaze to Capitol and shrugged nonchalantly. "We have our style and they have theirs."

"Yeah," Rin muttered. "Rich and snooty."

Katniss shot her a look that looked between anger and pity. Then she covered it with a grin. "Don't worry," she said. "Your prep teams are pretty nice."

"How do you know?" Rin asked.

Her smile widened and she gave the two of them a knowing look. Then the train jerked to a stop. "That's our cue," she said, herding them out the door.

…

Jack thought Katniss was wrong. His prep team was annoying. But his main designer seemed to know how he felt.

Portia was a plain woman compared to the rest of the Capitol inhabitants. She had long dark hair, piercing blue eyes, and fair skin. Makeup created dark spot on her cheeks and made her eyes stand out, but aside from that, she was almost normal.

Cinna, Rin's designer, was adorned similarly. Jack saw him when they had been dressed into their costumes and dumped onto their chariots.

Jack and Rin watched as the two designers embraced their former clients and shook hands with Haymitch. Katniss and Peeta then traveled up and looked them over.

"Not quite as impressive as last year's," Peeta murmured.

Jack and Rin were adorned in suits that ran from their ankles to their necks. The suits were a soft cloth on the inside, but they seemed to be made of tiny stones on the outside. They were also wearing black gloves and black laced boots that came up to Jack mid-calf.

"What does it do?" Katniss asked the designers.

"It does something?" Jack asked.

The designers and tributes all grinned at him. Jack hadn't had much time the last few years to see, but he had received updates from Hazel. Of course it did something.

"You'll see," Cinna said, smiling.

"Yes, we will," Haymitch said as he pulled everyone away. Then he called to Rin and Jack: "Act indifferent!"

Cinna and Portia freed themselves from his grip and hurried up to them. They each pushed something on the back of their suits and retreated once more. Jack looked down at himself to realize that the little rocks were really sparks, and his gloves started to glow dimly, brightening every second.

The enormous doors for the chariots' departure were and the District One chariot rode through the gap, eliciting applause on all sides. The District Two went through, then the District Three, and in no time, it was their turn.

The District Twelve Chariot emerged into the dimming light. Everyone in the crowds instantly noticed them. Over the past few years, Portia and Cinna's innovative ideas had brought attention to the otherwise harmless tributes from the coal district.

Jack and Rin's suits alternately glowed in different sparks, and the audience cheered wildly, amazed at the imagination of their designer. Flames erupted from their gloves to make it look like their hands were on fire. Flowers and praises rained down on the two of them. Every time a rose came near to the chariot, the flames would snatch it up as if it had a mind of its own. The rose would burn to crisps in the living flame, and the audience crowed even louder. Once more, District Twelve was demanding the most attention from Panem.

The chariots lined up on the podium, and President Snow gave his usual speech. He finished after a couple minutes, and the anthem played. The chariot began to file back out of the city square.

But they weren't done yet.

Just as the chariot line began moving out, a light smoke began to seep out of Jack and Rin's suits. Jack looked fearfully down at himself, but Rin squeezed his shoulder and he looked up at her. Her eyes told him that he just had to stay calm.

The crowd gasped as the smoke thickened around the two of them. Then, instead of clouding even thicker, it started to rise as a thin wisp into the air. It went up into the sky and once more began to clump up. But this time, it formed shapes. It was unclear at first, the intentions of the surprise kick, but soon, the cloud formed into smoky moving figures.

Above Jack was a gigantic majestic bird, its eyes glowing. It spread its curled wings and then started flying through the sky above the City Circle. It opened its beak, and the cawing sound of bird echoed loudly over the noise of the crowd. Over Rin was an enormous nine-tailed fox, it eyes also glowing. Its tails waved wildly behind it. It gaped its mouth open, and a roar erupted through the City Circle. It started leaping on invisible air. The two newly formed animals were still connected to Jack and Rin, but only just so.

The crowd was compelled into a stunned silence. Then they burst into screams of amazement and desire for more. Even President Snow looked absolutely flabbergasted.

The District Twelve chariot finally rolled into the housing for them all. The hatch slammed shut behind them, and the smoke cut off. Jack leaped off the chariot and dashed to one of the windows open to view the City Circle. Rin rushed up next to him. He gazed through the clear glass and saw that their animals were still moving about, though the smoke source had run out, so they were getting hazy. The two animals lined up next to each other, gave one last partnered call, and exploded in a burst of dark dust.

Jack slowly swiveled around to stare at their stylists, who were waiting patiently next to their abandoned chariot. "That. Was. AWSOME!" he shouted.

* * *

><p><strong>Next Time...<strong>

_"You need allies."_

_"Do you want to be allies?"_

_"Are you a Career?"_

_"You were reaped in a **Career **District?"_

_"I hope that Peacekeeper out there didn't steal that. Because he'd lose it pretty soon after he did."_


	3. Allies or No?

**Hey guys. Sorry it took so long to update, I've been really busy lately. I hope this chapter makes up for it.**

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games Trilogy.<strong>

* * *

><p>Chapter 3<p>

Allies Or No?

Jack confusedly dabbled multicolored spots across his skin.

"No, no, not like that!" Rin snapped at him.

"Agh, whatever!" Jack said, setting down the containers. "We've been here for half-an-hour. Let's move on."

"Fine, let's go," Rin allowed.

Jack glanced up at the Gamekeepers. They were completely ignoring the two of them, but paying all heed to the Careers. The elite tributes rotated quickly from station to station.

Except for the Head Gamekeeper.

Heavensbree Plutarch was staring at the two of them with unnerving focus, his eyes unwavering.

Jack looked away and elbowed Rin in the ribs. When she shot an accusing look at him, he flicked his eyes toward the booth. She quickly glanced up before looking back at him and jerking her head to the next station, which happened to be the fire-building station.

The two of them traveled over to it. They crouched down next to each other and pretended to mess with the set wood.

"What's that all about?" Rin whispered urgently to Jack.

"I'm not sure," Jack replied in a hushed tone. "But it doesn't seem like the best thing."

"You're right," Rin said. "We got to watch out. Don't do something too big. We don't need any unnecessary attention."

"Yeah," Jack responded grimly, dismissing the matter.

But in his head, he couldn't stop thinking about it. He had a bad sense about the Head Gamekeeper looking at them that way.

Jack had a feeling he wouldn't survive long in the arena.

…

"You need allies," Haymitch said.

Katniss and Peeta stood by and watched while Haymitch prepared to lecture them on the pros of an alliance in the arena.

"Okay," Jack and Rin said simultaneously.

Haymitch blinked in surprise. He had prepared an enormous speech to convince them of the importance of allies. Peeta grinned at his old mentor's shock.

"But," Katniss said to them, holding up a finger. "You try. If you can't get anyone, or if everyone just happens to hate you for unknown reasons, leave it be."

"Got it," the two of them said.

…

Jack and Rin walked into the training room and glanced around. Everybody was already chatting with somebody, separated in groups between different stations.

"Man," Jack wined. "How are we supposed to get any allies with all of these people already teaming up to spill our guts."

Rin shot a glare at him that said it wouldn't help to complain. Then she gazed around the room once more and her eyes lit up on the knot-tying section. Jack glanced over and spotted the two District 7 tributes listening intently to the trainer. The two of them nodded occasionally and finally crouched over to start practicing.

The boy had a huge build. He was tall, broad-shouldered and muscular, with a wide face framed in short, shaggy brown hair and holed by two dark green eyes. The girl, on the other hand, was tall and lanky. She has long wavy brown hair and black eyes.. She was definitely built for speed. The boy looked about sixteen, while the girl seemed to be about Jack and Rin's age.

Jack and Rin nodded at each other and made their way over to the station. The trainer commanded them to make a fishing knot with a thin piece of plastic wire and explained how to do it. They listened and then bent over to start working as well. After a few minutes of awkward silence in which the four tributes glanced at each other, Rin finally seemed to work up enough courage to speak.

"So," she said awkwardly. "This is all fun isn't it? Preparing for imminent death?"

The boy tribute snorted and the girl tribute smiled. There was more silence before Jack decided enough was enough.

"Look, I'll just cut to the chase," he said abruptly, a little irritated. "Do you want to be allies?"

Rin and the other two tributes all froze and stared outright at him. Then Rin barked a short laugh, shook her head, and looked at the others for their reaction.

The two tributes exchanged glances. They both looked back at Jack, then at Rin. Then the boy tribute grinned and said, "Why not?"

Relief flooded Jack. He had no idea what he would've done if they had said no. "Well then," he said. "I can't just call you guys Tribute One and Tribute Two. What're your names?"

"Jute," the boy tribute said.

"Lily," the girl tribute replied. "You?"

"Jack," Jack told her.

"Rin," Rin said.

All of them undoubtedly felt a lot better. They all smiled a bit awkwardly at each other and continued with their work.

…

"Over there," Jack said, motioning to a station across the room.

Rin nodded and the two of them made their way over to the edible plants station, where the lone District 3 boy was trying to discern several different berries.

The kid looked to be thirteen years old. A pair of wire glasses sat loosely on top of his freckled nose. His bright green eyes sparkled with ingenuity and his red hair seemed plastered on his head.

Jack and Rin worked opposite of him until Jack said, "So where's your district partner?"

The boy quickly glanced up and flicked his eyes back down. Then he jerked his head in the direction of the Careers. Jack and Rin glanced over and saw that indeed, it had seemed to grow over the last couple sessions.

"That'll be a tough crowd," Rin remarked. "You wanna be allies?"

Out of the blue, she said it. The boy looked up, startled. He stared at Rin, then at Jack, then at Rin again.

"Well?" Rin prompted.

An awkward smile appeared on the boy's face and he said, "Yeah."

"Cool," Jack said. "I'm Jack and this is Rin."

"I'm Haley," the boy replied.

Just then, Jute and Lily stepped beside them, both scowling.

"Well?" Rin asked. "Any luck with District 10?"

"No," Jute replied angrily. "Jerks. They coulda' just said no."

"What happened?" Jack wondered.

Lily rolled her eyes. "They went all out cussing. I haven't even heard half of those words in my life, but they didn't sound nice."

"Maybe that's what they'll be showing the Gamemakers," Haley remarked.

Jute and Lily looked at him in surprise for a moment and then they all started laughing.

…

As Jack and Rin stepped on the elevator, they glanced at each other. Then Rin grinned evilly and said, "I don't think we should tell them. Not yet."

"Make it surprise?" Jack asked, mirroring her dastardly intent.

"Yeah."

They nodded understandingly at each other. Then the elevator doors opened and they stepped out. Haymitch, Katniss, and Peeta were all sitting around a circular table laden down with food. Jack and Rin sat down.

There was silence for a moment before Haymitch said, "Well? Did you get any allies?"

Jack and Rin looked up at him and simultaneously shook their heads.

Katniss frowned. "Why not?" she asked.

Jack looked at Rin and she said, "Not that nobody likes us or anything. We just didn't find anyone yet."

Haymitch sighed and rubbed his forehead with the heel of his hand. "You're all the same," he said tiredly. "You can't fight, so nobody will pick you as allies."

Jack and Rin shared a secretive glance.

They finished their dinner in silence.

…

Over the next few days, Rin, Jack, Jute, Lily, and Haley ventured around seeking allies.

Of course, none approached those associated with the Careers, but they tried others. One day, all five of them split up to see if any one of them could get an ally. Rin headed for District 5, Haley for District 6, Jute for District 8, and Lily for District 9. Jack tried to get someone from District 11, knowing that those in District 10 were never going to be allies with them.

Jack glanced around and spotted the boy and girl from District 11 gripping some spears tightly as they listened to the trainer. The girl had bright red, short curly black hair and olive-colored skin. She was sleek and small, with dark brown eyes and a face portraying an age of twelve. The boy had a black cap of hair and was also olive-skinned. He was tall, and lanky as well, though a bit muscular, and looked to be about seventeen.

Jack ventured over as they started throwing lopsidedly at the targets. He snatched up a spear, listened halfheartedly to the instructor, then started throwing.

He honestly didn't think it had been a real throw. It definitely hadn't been a real throw. Sure, he put his body weight behind it like the trainer told him to, but he didn't even aim. He had moved simultaneously with the District 11 tributes, and he hadn't really been paying attention to where he threw the spear.

Yet it hit the target. Right beside the bull's-eyes.

Jack stared at the target across the room, which now had a three-foot long spear sticking out of its chest. The he glanced sideways at the District 11 tributes, whom were both staring at the target as well with wide eyes. Jack then glanced to his right.

The girl from District 2-with long blond hair and sharp brows- was looking from Jack to the target and back again, eyebrows raised. She pursed her lips for a moment, glanced both ways again, took a moment to look Jack up and down, then turned away. The rest of her Career group didn't notice any of it. They were too busy slicing up a stuffed dummy.

Jack swallowed, forcing a lump down his throat and retrieved the spear as the instructor tried to praise him. Jack came back cleared his throat them said, "You two want to be allies?"

They stared at him.

"Are you a Career?" the girl asked carefully.

Jack shook his head.

"Then what was…that?" she questioned, motioning to the target.

Jack laughed awkwardly and rubbed the back of his head, smiling a bit. "A lucky shot," he said.

"Are you with that other big group?" she inquired now.

"Yeah," Jack said. "But we don't hang with the Careers."

The girl pushed out her bottom lip, thinking. Then she looked Jack in the eye and smiled. "Sure."

Jack looked up at the boy, who hadn't said a word. There was a short pause before the boy said, "No. I'm going into that place alone. Other people will only get in the way." Then, without another word, he stomped off, shoving the spear back into the holding rack and moving on to another station.

_What's his_ _problem? _Jack wondered. _I know we're all going to die in a couple of days, but he could at least enjoy life while he still can._

The girl rolled her eyes and sighed heavily. "As far as I've known him, he's always been like that," she told Jack. "Just forget about him. He's been preaching in my ear about when we get into the arena we won't be together anymore. But whatever. Like I care anymore." Then she suddenly brightened and said to Jack. "My name's Kimberley, but you can call me Kim!"

"Hey Kim," Jack said, a bit surprised at her quick change of mood. "I'm Jack."

…

Jack, not wanting any more accidental achievements, moved to the fire-building section where they said they would meet again, Kim now by his side. After a couple of minutes, the other finally grouped around him, all of them accompanied by one new person, save for Lily.

Rin had picked up the District 5 boy tribute. He had brown dreadlock and dark brown eyes, along with a lanky build. He looked to be sixteen and his name was Vincent. Haley had retrieved the girl from District 6, who went by Nina. She had long wavy blond hair and a slim build. She looked to be fifteen as well. Jute found a boy named Andrew from District 8, who said he was eighteen, and who looked it. He had short brown hair and dark blue eyes. He was lanky too, a common thing in many of these districts.

"What happened, Lily?" Rin asked the girl.

Lily's face was a dark thundercloud as she responded, "They were even worse than the District Ten tributes in their own way."

"How?" Jute questioned.

"Snippy little things," she said. "I ask them and the girl's like '_Why would we want _you _for an ally? Your from that wood district' _Like I don't know that."

"Their loss," Kim put in cheerfully. "I feel pretty powerful right now in this big group."

They all looked at her in surprise. Then Rin chuckled and said, "I like you."

"I like you too," Kim replied with a big grin.

Rin laughed at that.

Jack looked around. "Well," he said. "I guess that's everyone we're going to get. Now to get on it for real."

…

Jack was at the knot-tying station again when she came.

He was alone and trying to complete the fishing knot the instructor had set him to a long time ago. He was determined to finish it before he moved on. He had been stuck her for maybe an hour at max when someone kneeled beside him. Jack looked up.

It was the District 4 girl. She was tall and lithe, but Jack could see muscles just outlined enough under her skin. She had long dark curly hair and bright, bright green eyes. Her face was angled. A thin scar ran from the top of her nose down to the bottom of her left cheekbone, right below her eyes, and there was a golden scale tattooed above her right brow. She was undoubtedly the same age as Jack.

Jack twisted around to look behind him, checking for the Careers, but they were all the way across the room, impaling dummies with spears.

"I'm not with the Careers," the girl murmured, her voice even yet low.

Jack stared at her. "But you're-"

"Yeah, I know, that's pretty obvious isn't it?" she said, with a slight scowl. "But I'm not in the Career Pack."

"Why not?" Jack said, continuing with his doomed knot.

The girl's brow furrowed and she leaned over and snatched the string from his finger.

"Hey!" Jack cried indignantly. "What-"

"You're doing it wrong," she said, cutting him off. She untied the jumbled wire and stuck her hands out to show him. She looped it and twisted it with careful fingers, and it formed-seemingly by itself-into a perfect fishing knot. She undid it and handed it back over. As he tried to copy what she had done a moment before, she said, "It doesn't matter why. I can tell you that later. But I can see that you've got a big alliance."

Jack looked up at her and stared. She met his eyes, gaze unwavering. They stayed like that, staring each other in the eyes until Jack finally looked away and said, "Yeah."

"I want to join."

Jack stared at her again. Then he said, "But if you're-"

"I said I'd explain myself later," she interrupted him a third time. "I just want a straight answer."

Jack considered for a moment. She could be lying, or she could be telling the truth and she could be really valuable to their alliance. Finally, he said, "Yes."

The girl simply nodded. She didn't seem surprised but she didn't look as if she had been expecting it either. "My name's Urea."

"Jack," he responded. "Come on then. I'd better introduce you."

…

Rin's eyes remained narrowed after the introductions, until Jack finally sighed and said, "What is it Rin?"

"How can we know to trust you if you're from a Career District?" she said. "Why aren't you with the Career Pack anyways?"

They all looked expectantly at Urea. She met each of their gazes before settling on Rin and starting. "I was reaped," she said flatly.

They all stared in surprise.

"You were reaped in a _Career _District?" Lily asked incredulously.

"Yes," Urea replied, looking at her now. "Nobody stepped up because they all thought I wanted it."

"But I watched the Reapings," Vincent started slowly. "You didn't say anything."

"In my district, you're not supposed to. Because of the volunteers, we learn not to speak if we're reaped, not to argue with the volunteers because it's their right."

"But if nobody volunteered for you…" Haley said. "You were trained then?"

Urea nodded.

"Which brings us back to where we were before," Rin stated bluntly.

"I was trained to, but I don't kill. I never will, and I do not believe in these games any more than you do, maybe even less. I've been trained to fight, but in my heart I've never been trained to kill. I come from a poor family despite my district. I know the pain you guys feel, unlike the other Careers. Now to think of it, I barely have a family, and the one family member that I do have is practically dead."

They all stared at her, and she met their gazes.

"Well, after a speech like that," Rin said grimly, though she was smiling a bit. "I can't really rebuke you now can I?"

"I suppose not," Urea replied, non-smiling, though a sparkle of humor flashed through her eyes.

…

"So," Peeta said. "Any progress today? Tomorrow's the last group training. Have you got any allies?"

Jack and Rin glanced at each other. Now was the time. They wouldn't be getting anyone else, that was apparent. Jack rubbed the back of his head sheepishly and said. "Well, actually…"

All three victors leaned forward eagerly, accompanied shortly by Effie and the designers.

"Actually, we've been getting allies for the past few training sessions."

There was a long silence, then Katniss laughed halfheartedly and said, "Well, then I-"

"And you didn't tell us?" Effie shrieked.

"You're not the mentor," Haymitch said, keeping his eyes on the two of them and putting a hand in the air to stop her rant. "But still, why didn't you tell us?"

"Well…we wanted to surprise you," Rin said.

There was more silence before Haymitch exploded. "You wanted to surprise us?" he yelled. "This isn't some game! You're putting your life on the line with one out of twenty-four chance to leave with it! You-"

Haymitch was now standing up, everyone staring at him. But Jack swiftly stood and slammed a palm on the table, interrupting him. "We're not making you do this!" he said loudly, almost yelling but not quite. "It's not like you've helped us that much anyways!"

Then his voice grew quiet and he continued, "I know I'm putting my life on the line with a very small chance of getting out of that stupid arena alive. But as soon as I _do _step in that arena, it's survival. So why not enjoy my life while I can? If you can't find a why not, then you can't counter the why. And that's all I need to do something."

With that, Jack stomped away. He stormed into his room and slammed and locked the door behind him. He collapsed on the bed, looking at the roof, and stayed there for hours.

…

Two hours later, there was a knock on the door. "It's me," Rin called to him.

Jack did nothing for a moment, then stood and opened the door, locking it behind her again. Then the two of them sat side-by-side on the bed.

"That was true," she said after a couple minutes of tense silence. "That part about with nothing to counter the why, then why not do it."

"It's been our motto for years, hasn't it?" Jack asked her.

"Yeah," she said. "And it's true."

There was another knock on the door and Jack barked, "What do you want?"

"I wanted to know exactly who you got for allies." Peeta.

Jack looked at Rin, who nodded at him. Then he stood and unlocked the door again to let the victor in. Peeta pulled a chair from the corner of the room to sit opposite of Jack and Rin. "Well?" he said.

"We have Jute and Lily, the two tributes from District 7," Rin started. "We have Haley, the boy from District 3. We have Vincent, the boy from District 5. We have Nina, the girl from District 6. We have Andrew, the boy from District 9, and we have Kim, the girl from District 11."

With each knew name, Peeta's eyebrows rose, until they were in danger of disappearing within his hair. "Whoa," he said.

"You're forgetting someone," Jack told Rin.

Rin's brow furrowed as she tried to remember.

"In my opinion, it's kind of hard to forget her," Jack continued. Then to Peeta, "We also have Urea, the girl from District 4."

Jack's fears then came true as Peeta's eyebrows vanished. He whistled and looked at the ground. "Impressive," he muttered. Then he looked back up. "How exactly did you two manage all of this?"

Jack and Rin explained the series of events leading up to this.

Peeta harrumphed, alarmingly like Haymitch. Then he said, "How large is the Career pack this year?"

"I counted eight last time I saw them," Jack said. There's only five actual Careers. But they have the girl form District 3, the girl from District 5, and the Boy from District 10."

"That leaves six loners," Peeta murmured, as much to himself as to them. "Well, congratulations. That will definitely bring an interest in the arena this year. Make sure that tomorrow you guys don't hang together too much. We want it to be a surprise."

Jack and Rin nodded.

"Now if you'll excuse me," Peeta said, standing and stretching. "I must go calm a no-more-somber Haymitch and reassure an aggravated Miss Everdeen. Have a good night."

Jack and Rin snorted with amusement as he left the room.

…

The next day, Jack walked into the training room with Rin and the two of them were instantly greeted by the rest of the their allies.

"Listen," Jack said quickly, before any one else could say anything. "We should stay apart today, pretend we aren't allies. Glare at each other, snarl, spit, whatever. From now on, we hate each other."

The all stared at him and Haley said, "Well, that way…everybody would think we'd be at each other. Then in the arena…"

"Yeah," Jack said, nodding. "Got it?"

They all chorused 'yes' and stood awkwardly for a minute.

"We need to have a shouting match or something," Rin remarked finally. "To make it convincing."

Jack nodded and looked Jute in the eye. He returned an understanding gaze and nodded. Jack took a gigantic step forward and shoved him.

After that, a shouting match commenced with much pushing and shoving. Some Peacekeepers rushed over and broke them up, but not before Rin all but screamed, "This alliance is _over_!" like she was breaking up with a boyfriend. She was answered with a chorus of indignant 'Fine's!'

Throughout the training, they would send dirty looks at each other, edge disgustedly around each other, or sneer at each other.

After an hour or two of this, Jack was cornered.

He was at the edible-plants station when the Career pack closed in on him. Jack suddenly found himself surround by tall, burly boys and girls. He straightened from his hunched position and glanced around himself to see that he was all but enclosed by Careers.

"Uh…Hi?" Jack said tentatively.

The District 2 girl Jack had seen the day before stepped forward. "I saw you throw that spear," she said simply. She looked him up and down before continuing, "And you look like you could hold your own in a fight."

Jack heard the unspoken question and thought for a long moment. Then he said, "No."

The girl's eyes narrowed. "We saw what happened to your group today. And you're going to be sorry-"

Jack barked a laugh, interrupting her. Then he said, "I already am." With that, he stood and walked away.

…

Throughout the day, the ten of them had stayed away from each other after the brief talk at the beginning of training. They were still separated as they waited for their private training with the Gamemakers.

Urea was sitting in the corner when it happened.

The boy from District 1 glanced at her, then said something to the others of the Career Pack. They all sauntered over to her lone figure and made a little crowd around her.

"Uh-oh," Jack muttered, nudging Rin. "Looks like trouble."

The District 1 boy said something and they all laughed. Urea's brow furrowed, but aside from that, nothing else showed her anger. The District 1 girl then said something and she frowned while the Career Pack laughed again. The District 1 boy said something and they laughed once more. He continued talking and they laughed at each pause.

A Peacekeeper walked in.

And Urea had the boy against the wall.

It happened so quickly, nobody could react. The District 1 boy continued to rant on, and a dangerous light entered Urea's eyes. She tensed and the boy said one more thing. Then she snapped. She lunged forward across the seemingly large space, grabbed his collar, jerked him around, and slammed his back into the wall.

The Peacekeeper walked in and saw the group moments before Urea's fury exploded. He shouted unintelligibly as she jerked into action and he ran for the group. Most of the Career Pack had their hands on Urea already. Knowing trouble was about to arrive, the Peacekeeper yanked a pistol out of his belt and shot it at the ceiling.

At the sound of the shot, everyone jumped and jerked around to stare at the Peacekeeper, who still had his pistol in hand. "What is going on here?" he shouted.

Urea released the boy and stepped back. "Just a little early tussle," she said.

"It'd better be," the Peacekeeper said, finally jamming his pistol back into his belt. "I'm here to watch you all. Be careful what you do."

Urea and the boy exchanged one more glare before Urea moved to the corner opposite of her previous one and the Career Pack returned to their seats.

…

"Agh, I _hate _waiting like this!" Kim exclaimed, her head hitting the desk.

Jack and Rin glanced at her. The three of them were the only ones remaining.

"Look at it this way," Jack said. "Just imagine that the Gamemakers feel the same way."

Kim pushed out her bottom lip. "Yeah right," she said sarcastically. "That's all they do anyways, aside from planning the death of a bunch of kids every year. No wonder they're a bunch of fatsoes." She whispered the last part, sending a quick glance at the Peacekeeper keeping a 'close' watch on them-by falling asleep. Jack and Rin sniggered at her joke and the ridiculous sight.

Kim started, "We should steal his-"

Just then, she was called in. She sighed heavily, looking at Jack and Rin, then dragged herself off of the table and went in.

"What a weird kid," Rin said once the girl had left. "The youngest here, yet she's putting on more brave face than most of us. With maybe the exception of the Careers."

"Yeah," Jack said. "Maybe she was right. Maybe we _should _steal something from that guy."

Rin looked at him incredulously. "Are you crazy?" she squeaked.

Jack shrugged nonchalantly. "Why not? We're going into the arena soon anyways."

"Promise me you won't?" Rin pleaded.

Jack sighed heavily. "Fine. I promise."

"Good," Rin said, nodded firmly.

They waited in silence until, finally, Jack was called in. He stood and said to Rin, "Good luck."

"You too," she responded. Then she closed her eyes slowly and raised her head towards the ceiling.

As Jack passed the Peacekeeper, with not even him noticing, he slid a finger into the golden chain hanging out of his shirt pocket and slipped out a golden stopwatch. Jack quickly glanced at the side and saw the words _Heavensbree Plutarch _carved into it.

Holy- He just stole the Head Gamemakers stopwatch!

Jack swallowed hard and dropped it into his pocket.

He walked into the training room to see the Gamemakers chatting loudly to each other, not paying much attention to Jack. He swallowed again and made his way to the sword station. He stepped up to the rack and looked over the various blades there. He spotted one, two, three katanas. Just what he needed. Sliding them out of their scabbards nailed on the rack, he twirled the bottom two in his hands experimentally. They were a bit heavier and a tiny bit longer than those he was used to, but they would work. He stepped toward one of the dummies, took a deep breath, and lunged forward.

He took a quick swipe at the dummy's face, just scratching the surface as he became used to the balance of the swords. He then got to business as he stabbed the manikin through the shoulder and sliced outwards, taking its arm off. He twisted around and sliced it in the side, pulled out that sword, then stabbed the dummy in the thigh with his other sword. Finally he sliced its head off.

Breathing a bit hard, Jack straightened up from his firm stance. He could never imagine doing that to an actual person, but demolishing a fake dummy was easy enough. He looked up and over his shoulder to look at the Gamemaker booth.

None of them were so much as looking at him. They were chatting a laughing at each other, not one of them paying attention to him.

Jack suddenly became angry. First they forced kids as young as Kim to compete in fights to the death, then they created the things that killed them, and they didn't even pay attention when they tried to prove themselves!

Jack deposited his left katana back into the scabbard nailed to the rack. Then he slithered the watch out of his pocket and slid the chain around the base of the blade, at the top of the hilt. As Heavensbree Plutarch reached for something on the table between them all, Jack took a step forward and hurled the blade towards the Gamemakers.

The blade arced over and into the booth. It thudded point down into the table right in front of the Head Gamemakers hand. The stopwatch scraped down the blade of the sword and thumped to the table.

Dead silence.

Everyone froze and looked at him. Jack looked Plutarch in the eye and jerked his head towards the door he had come from minutes before. "I hope that Peacekeeper out there didn't steal that," he said. "Because he'd lose it pretty soon after he did." With that, Jack turned on his heel and left the room.

…

Jack returned back to the District 12 floor and stepped out. Katniss, Peeta, and Haymitch were sitting at the table and Peeta motioned for him to sit down.

"We're waiting for Rin," he explained. "Then we'll go over it all."

Jack nodded and the four of them waited silently for Rin. She stepped out of the elevator, sat down silently, and looked Jack straight in the eye.

At that moment, Jack knew. He had no doubt in his mind that Rin knew what he had done. They wouldn't have called her in the training room until all had been restored to former glory, but Rin knew…somehow.

"Well?" Haymitch asked once their food had been served and Effie, Cinna, and Portia had appeared at the table to eat. "How'd you do?"

They all looked at Jack expectantly and he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "I…uh…I just disemboweled a dummy with dual swords."

Haymitch raised an eyebrow. "Disemboweled?"

Jack grinned and nodded, still rubbing the back of his head.

"Okay then," Haymitch said, looking at Rin now. "What about you?"

Rin did nothing for a moment, still looking Jack in the eye. Then she broke the gaze and said, "I threw some weights, shot a couple of arrows."

Peeta shot a humorous glance at Katniss and asked, "Did you do good?"

Rin thought for a second. "Yeah," she said slowly. "I guess you could say that. I at least hit the target each time."

"Better than some," Katniss remarked. Then she said, "Did they pay any attention to you?"

Again, Rin's eyes locked onto Jack's as she answered, "Yeah…actually they did."

"That's new," Haymitch remarked.

The other two mentors nodded.

Rin and Jack kept staring at each other for a long moment, then started gulping down food.

…

"Whoa," Jack said, amazed as he stared at the screen. "Am I…hallucinating?"

"Nope!" Peeta said, patting his shoulder cheerfully. "El-e-ven!"

"Ten!" Rin squeaked when her number appeared a moment later.

"You two," Haymitch remarked, throwing his arms around their shoulders. "Are a dangerous pair."

Jack and Rin exchanged glances. Totally unlike Haymitch.

…

There was a knock on his door and Jack let Rin in, locking the door behind her.

"Well?" Rin said, leaning against the wall and looking at him. "What'd you do?"

Jack sighed heavily and conveyed the series of events in the training room to her. There was a pause.

"When I went in there I could tell the Gamemakers were really shaken for some reason," Rin explained. "They were all pale, and they weren't even touching their food or drinks. Especially Plutarch."

"Yeah," Jack said. "That was mainly intended for him."

Rin shook her head. "Y'know that's why they gave you such a high score," she said. "They want everybody else to think you're dangerous so you'll get killed off quicker. Remember, they think we all broke up this morning."

"Yeah," Jack replied. "I know."

"The Careers asked you earlier didn't they?"

"Yep."

"And you refused?"

"Yep."

"Then the Careers will really be out to get you."

"Yep."

"Anything to say for yourself?"

Jack paused for a moment, grinned, then said, "I can't say I'm sorry I did it."

Rin smiled. "Because, as you always say, 'Why not?'"

"Why not."

…

Unbeknownst to the two tributes, someone was standing outside the door, listening intently. What these two were speaking of and how they were speaking could be considered illegal.

And Katniss Everdeen smiled to herself as she listened.

* * *

><p><strong>Next Time...<strong>

_"Blow them away, okay?"_

_"I feel...different."_

_"I take it that's a subject you tread lightly on?"_

_"Today's the day..."_

_"I'll see you in the arena."_

* * *

><p><strong>Hope you guys liked it! Review please!<strong>


	4. Blow Them Away

**Hey! How's it going? Hope life has been good for you peeps! Now, I know it's been a little while since I last updated, but I hope this makes up for it. Ready for 12 pages of Hunger Games Goodness? I bet you are!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games Trilogy.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 4<p>

Blow Them Away

Jack fidgeted nervously as he tried to stand motionless.

"Stay still," Portia scolded him for the umpteenth time.

"I know, I know," he replied. "Just nervous."

"Well, I understand, but fidgeting isn't going to help you."

Jack slowly swiveled his head around to stare at Portia. Never before had he even dreamed to hear such wise words come from a Capitol citizen's mouth.

"There," she said, tossing her scissors and a lump of cloth on the floor and patting him on the shoulder. "See? We're done."

Jack turned fully now and surveyed himself in the mirror. He was dressed in a simple tuxedo and shiny dress boots. The only noticeable thing about them was the orange-red color of the fabric, making him look like he was on fire. His dark orange-red shoes seemed to glow in the start of twilight.

"I look…cool," Jack said, unsure of what word to use.

Portia developed a distasteful expression. "If that other one hadn't been ruined, the colors would be blended more."

Jack blushed embarrassedly. "Sorry about that. I think it looks great how it is, though."

"It's fine. Now why don't you go and see how that friend of yours is doing?"

Jack nodded and started towards the door.

"One more thing," Portia said, and Jack halted and turned. She winked at him and said, "Blow them away, okay?"

"You got it!" Jack exclaimed, flashing a thumbs-up at her. Then he turned again and departed from the room. He traveled down the hall until he finally spotted Rin, and stopped.

She was in a strapless red-orange dress, also seemingly on fire. The back hem of her dress was separated into pieces that looked much like tails as they trailed behind her, and her bright red high-heels glittered in the light.

Rin walked up to him and smiled. "I feel…different," she told him.

"You look different," Jack replied as the two started roaming down the hall.

Rin flashed him a fake pouty face. "I can't be that ugly can I?"

"I didn't mean it that way and you know it!"

Rin laughed and punched him in the arm. "Take a joke, will you?" she said, her voice filled with mirth. "Aren't you the one who said to enjoy life while we can?"

Jack pushed his bottom lip out. "Yeah, but…"

Rin laughed again at his hesitation, the sound filling the hall.

Very suddenly, Peeta stepped out from a room to the right and barely closed the door behind him when he bumped into Jack. Jack stumbled sideway and rammed into Rin, who caught herself on the wall. Peeta needed only two steps backward to regain his balance, and he watched with mild amusement as the two of them dusted themselves off.

Jack shot his a suspicious, narrow-eyed glance. "How do you do that?" he said.

"Do what?" Peeta inquired.

"That…thing."

Peeta's eyebrows rose in question.

"You know what, never mind."

"He means how do you get your balance so easily," Rin amended, sighing in exasperation and rolling her eyes playfully at Jack.

"Oh…" Peeta said, comprehension dawning in his eyes. He looked at the ground and shuffled his feet. "Um…" he started uncertainly.

Jack and Rin exchanged startled glances. Never before had they seen any of their mentors so nervous or unsure. The two of them looked back at Peeta as the man looked up and uncomfortably rubbed the back of his head.

"It never really goes away," he said, slightly embarrassed. "After the Games, you just…you're instincts stay honed for the rest of your life."

"Effie told me Haymitch almost killed her once," Jack said. "Is that true?"

Peeta waved and hand in the air, annoyed now. "I'm not sure. Effie tells the wildest stories sometimes. It could be possible. All three of us sleep with daggers next to us."

Jack and Rin stared at him in horror, appalled that the Games could do that to a person.

"What a cheery subject you three are chatting about."

The three of them looked down the hall, the way Jack and Rin had came to see Katniss leaning against the wall, grinning at them.

"Peeta, why are telling them about stuff like that?" she chided her old 'lover' as she walked over to them. "We want them to win you know."

"Stop talking about us like we're not here," Jack grumbled.

Katniss looked at him, her face turning grim. "You shouldn't be. Get going! You're going to be late!"

Jack and Rin blinked at her, then realization dawned in their eyes. "Crap!" Jack exclaimed, turning hastily and almost running into Rin, about to rush down the corridor.

"I didn't mean _that _late!" Katniss cried as the two careened around the hallway, her voice holding a hint of laughter. "Don't run you two!"

"You're not our mom!" Rin called back as she and Jack did not run, but quickly walked toward the elevator.

"By the way!" Jack yelled behind him as he pushed the 'down' button and waited for the elevator. "You two gonna be there?"

"Of course!" Peeta exclaimed, watching them board the elevator. "But don't count on us to save you if you fall off the stage!"

The elevator doors slammed shut and it took the two tributes a moment to process what he had said. They stared at each other and Rin whispered, "What did he just say?"

"Does he think we're the stunt-doubles for Haymitch or something?" Jack replied, as equally confused.

"That was a really weird thing to say."

"Yeah. It was…"

"Sometimes, I don't even understand the three of them, especially when they're having a conversation together."

"I guess being together that long and going through the same traumatic experience does that to people. It makes them understand each other more."

Rin paused for a moment before saying loudly, "Why the _heck _are we whispering."

Jack stopped and realized the two had, indeed, been conversing in conspirational voices.

There was another long pause before Rin giggled suddenly.

Jack looked at her, confused. "What's up?"

"Traumatic," she snorted.

"Huh?"

"You said, 'traumatic experience'."

Jack continued to stare. "Yeah. So?"

Rin looked at him from a doubled over position, tears of mirth in her eyes. "Jack, nobody ever uses that word."

Jack paused for a moment and then said, "That's it?"

"Why not?" Rin said, straightening back up as the doors opened.

Jack had to grin at that.

…

Jack twitched and wriggled around in his seat. Rin reached over and put a hand on his thigh and he looked up at her. She gave him a reassuring smile and retracted her hand. Feeling more comfortable now, Jack lifted his head and stared out at the crowd.

Citizens with odd faces and hairstyles looked at the tributes from every direction. Cameras floated around the City Circle above the throng of people. The sky was turning dark, but the City Circle was lit up like a Christmas tree. Jack spotted Portia and Cinna in the front row alongside the rest of the designers. Katniss and Peeta were sitting in the second row beside a droopy-eyed Haymitch.

The crowd roared as Caesar Flickerman stepped onto the stage, a brilliant white smile on his face. This year, his hair is dyed dark purple, nearly black. His suit sparkled brightly in the lights, and it was a much lighter purple than his hair.

The host plopped down into his chair and opened it up with a few jokes, creating laughs from the Capitol citizens all around. Then the real interviews began.

As usual, the Districts 1 and 2 girls went for sexy and desirable. The boys aimed high in strength and bravery. The girl of District 3 made a sympathy story that most likely ruined her chances. Haley managed to soften up the crowd with humor, though Jack could see him twitching with anxiety.

"Urea Triton!" Caesar finally called.

Jack perked up. This was something he wanted hear.

Urea stood from her chair and calmly walked to the center of the stage, her face showing no emotion. She was wearing a glittery sea-blue spaghetti-strap dress. It flowed around her ankles as she walked, and Jack had the brief imaginary sense that there was water flowing around her. He glanced at Portia to see that her eyebrows were raised and she was nodding in approval to a woman sitting beside her-the District 4 girl designer, Jack presumed.

The crowd roared loudly when Caesar said her name. No doubt they knew she was a Career, but even being that, this much welcome was surprising.

"So," Caesar began once Urea was sitting across from him. "Urea, we all know you, the beautiful fighting prodigy from District 4. Rumor has it you aren't with the Careers. Is this true?"

Jack's eyes widened in surprise. The beautiful fighting prodigy from District 4? Did that mean she was already famous?

"Yes," Urea answered, making it obvious she was going to answer his questions with few words as possible. She was definitely going for quiet and mysterious. Not like it was any different from her real character.

"Why so?" Caesar questioned.

Her eyes quickly flicked over to where Jack and Rin were sitting, almost undetectable. Then she said, "I will be alone in this fight. I do not trust the Careers. Once the number goes down, they turn around and stab you in the back."

Caesar nodded and several in the crowd murmured in agreement. It had been witnessed many times before.

"You are well known in your District and throughout Panem," Caesar commented. "A girl like you must have some friends. Care to tell the country about them?"

"There's none I would call my friend, though they might," Urea answered stoically. "But there are many who know me, just as you said."

"Oh, come on," Caesar said cheerfully. "There's someone special, I just know it. Who is it?"

Urea shook her head and answered, "No. Or else I wouldn't have come to these Games."

"Well, what about your family?" Caesar asked cheekily, unfazed.

Urea's eyes darkened and her mouth formed a thin line. Her face became a cold stone wall.

There was a long and silent pause throughout the City Circle until Caesar said softly. "I take it that's a subject you tread lightly on?"

Urea nodded and Caesar continued. "We were all quite grief stricken after the…accident," he said. "I can only imagine how bad it was for you. Is that the reason you came to the Hunger Games?"

Like Jack and Rin, Caesar and the citizens of the Capitol didn't seem to know that reaped tributes couldn't speak out.

"I guess you could say that," Urea replied, voice hard.

"A lot of people are placing their bets on you," Caesar said now. "Are you confident you will be the victor of this year's Hunger Games?"

Urea was silent before saying, "No."

The crowd seemed shocked. "Why not?" Caesar asked incredulously.

"I…I can't say. Not yet. Soon."

"Well…" Caesar said hesitantly, recovering. "Anything you'd like to say before our time is done?"

Urea gazed up at the starry night sky hanging above them all. After very long silence, in which her few remaining seconds ticked away, she finally said something:

"Peace."

Before Caesar could ask what she meant, the buzzer went off, signaling the end of her interview. The entire crowd groaned in disappointment at not uncovering the reason for the suspense.

"Well, let's give a hand for Urea Triton from District 4!" Caesar cried.

"Triton?" Jack muttered to himself. "That name sound familiar…" Then he said a bit louder, "Hey, Rin."

His friend looked at him, her face screwed into concentration. "What?" she said.

"Triton," he told her simply. "Does that sound familiar to you too?"

"Yeah," Rin said, looking down at her feet. "But I can't place it…

The crowd roared as Urea walked to her seat on the opposite side of the stage.

"Our next tribute…"

Jack zoned out after that. He glanced around, trying to keep himself amused while words ran through his ears. He came to during Lily and Jute's turn. Both of them went for the fighter angle. It suited them. He fell out again.

"Rin Heron!"

Jack jolted to attention as Rin stood up from her seat beside him and walked towards center stage. She looked natural in the spotlight as she strode over to her seat and sat down easily, and Jack wondered in amazement where she had gotten the confidence to stand up in front of all Panem with a brilliant smile on her face.

"Rin," Caesar said, silent for a moment before continuing. "I must say you do look stunning tonight."

Rin smiled kindly and said, "Tell that to Cinna. Or Haymitch."

The crowd laughed as the camera zoomed in on the face of a scowling Haymitch. He waved a hand at the screen, and the view returned to Rin.

"You're training score was very high, higher than most from District 12," Caesar commented. "A ten. That's pretty impressive. How did you do it?"

"Let's just say I have a few tricks up my sleeve," Rin said, wiggling her eyebrows mysteriously.

Cindal looked up at the crowd, his mouth formed into an 'O', his eyes wide. "Well," he said. "I suppose that bears no good for the other tributes. How do you think you'll fare in the arena?"

Rin thought for a moment before replying feistily, "Well, I'm not going to reckon myself as the victor, but don't count me out yet!"

"You sure are confident," Caesar commented. "You obviously know what you're going to do in the arena. Any alliances planned?"

Rin grinned and said, "Maybe."

"Wow," Caesar exclaimed. "You just aren't letting us in on anything, are you?"

Rin shook her head, still grinning sweetly.

"Now, you volunteered," Caesar said. "Why?"

Dead silence.

Rin's smile had vanished and her face was lined with sorrow and pain. "That little girl that was reaped," she said, her voice sad. "She's just twelve years old. She's my best friend's little sister."

Jack knew the camera had found him, but refused to look at the screen, staring at Rin instead. She was staring over her shoulder at him, looking him in the eyes.

"Have you regretted that decision at all?" Caesar asked softly.

Rin shook her head, returning her gaze to the man. "No," she said. "Not at all."

"That takes courage," Caesar said, putting a gentle hand on her shoulder. "I'm sure many will agree with me when I say you will not lack the bravery you need in the arena."

The crowd roared as Rin's buzzer went off and she stood from her seat. Then traveled over to the other side of the stage and sat beside the District 11 boy.

Caesar quieted the crowd and said, "Now, the last but certainly not the least, Jackson Axdiez!"

Dead silence.

In Jack's world it was, anyways. He could see the crowd cheering. He could see the lights of the cameras. Feeling like he was watching someone else do it, he got up from his seat and walked to the center of the stage. He sat opposite from Caesar, and the man said something.

Sound suddenly returned and Jack shook his head, trying to clear it. "What?" he asked Caesar.

Caesar laughed, along with the rest of the crowd. "I said, 'How does it feel to be in front of all of Panem?"

"Oh," Jack said, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. A pretty bad habit, he thought suddenly. His mind always wandered when he was nervous. "Well, I guess I shouldn't really be worrying about standing in front of all Panem. But it's…let's just say a once-in-a-lifetime chance."

The crowd laughed again. Caesar quieted them before asking, "The Games tomorrow doesn't seem to be bothering you. You're even making jokes. Why does it not bother you at all?"

"It's bothering me," Jack said. "But…I just want to enjoy what's left of my life, y'know? It's at times like these when you realize just what you were missing when you see a blade of grass or a leaf on a tree."

The City Circle was silent. Caesar said quietly. "Those are some pretty sentimental words from a fifteen-year-old. Have you ever been through something like this before?"

Jack shook his head.

"Well, let's move on," Caesar said, dissipating the thoughtful mood. "How about your score? Eleven! How'd you do it?"

Jack glanced at the small balcony where the Gamemakers were sitting, then looked back to Caesar and smiled. "I don't think I should say anything," he told the man.

"Oh?" Caesar mused, looking from Jack to the Gamemakers, eyebrows raised. The cameras fixed on Heavensbree Plutarch.

"He's right," the Head Gamemaker said, his voice hard. "He shouldn't say anything."

Jack nodded and grinned at Caesar as the crowd groaned in suspense. "Sorry," he said.

"That's too bad. Well, then how about other people's opinions. Jack, many people have been making bets that even though you received a high score, you won't last long in the arena," Caesar said. "Anything to say about that?"

Jack forced out a laugh. "Well," he said, his voice loud in his own ears. "I can't really blame 'em. I mean, even my stylists think my hair's gonna get me killed!"

The crowd laughed, and Jack's confidence grew a bit.

"Indeed it might," Caesar said, looking up at his head in amusement. "Perhaps you should die it the color of flames."

"What? So the Gamemakers won't have to set my head on fire?"

The crowd roared again, and Jack grinned widely.

"Perhaps then you can make an alliance with Urea," Caesar said jokingly. "She would be able to put that fire out with some water."

Dead silence.

Jack felt like he'd been punched in the gut. He couldn't explain the sudden feeling, but he knew it had been something Caesar had just said. His eyes found Urea to see her usually emotionless expression carved with shock. But why?

Sound returned to his ears and he forced a grin. "Maybe," he said. "But I don't think I should."

Caesar nodded. "Our time's nearly up. One more question. Why did you volunteer?"

"Tyler, the boy that was reaped, he's Rin's little brother," Jack replied. "I had to."

"Yes, but why?"

Jack stared at him quizzically.

"Most Capitol citizens do not understand why you would volunteer if you are not a Career," Caesar explained, making it clear in his tone of voice that he personally had no problem with his previous answer. "They want to know. Why?"

Jack was silent for a very long moment. The buzzer went off, but nobody moved, so Jack assumed they wanted him to finish. He looked up at the crowd, wondering how they could ask such trivial things. He glanced around and met the burning eyes of Katniss, ever lit with that inner fire. Suddenly, he knew what to say. He grinned at Caesar and said:

"Why not?"

There was a stunned silence for a long time. It seemed like eternity to Jack, though it probably only lasted a couple seconds. Then Caesar broke into laughter.

"Indeed!" he cried, shaking Jack's hands. "Ladies and Gentlemen, Jackson Axdiez from District 12!"

…

"You were great!" Rin cried once they were alone in the elevator, riding up to their floor.

"So were you!" Jack replied. "Between our scores and interviews, we're gonna get a bunch of sponsors!"

Rin nodded furiously. The two laughed like little kids and high-fived.

Then the elevator doors opened to a cloud of congratulations and praises. Jack found himself among a crowd of victors and stylists. Rin laughed beside him.

"Now that's what I'm talking about!" Haymitch bellowed, no doubt completely wasted.

"Great work!" Peeta exclaimed.

"You guys were great!" Katniss cried.

"Nice work," Portia said, smiling slightly at Jack.

Jack grinned and said, "I blew them away. Just like you told me."

Portia's smile widened. "Yes, you did!"

…

Jack sighed heavily. He pulled his arms above his head and crossed them in an 'X'. He sighed again and turned on his side, staring out his window.

He had been lying awake in bed for over two hours. After all the excitement, their mentors had ordered them to go to bed, and sack out they did, but now that Jack was actually in bed, he couldn't tame the thoughts of the Games going through his head.

Jack moved around for the next five minutes before he finally got fed up with it and sat up, feet dangling off the side of the bed. He stood and slipped on a thick coat hanging off the wall. He opened his door quietly and tiptoed down the corridors of the Training Center. He finally found the door he was looking for and climbed the stairs. Then he emerged into the billowing wind.

He was on the roof. The Capitol was visible below him, and, to his surprise, a figure was huddled on one edge. He walked over to her and sat cross-legged beside her.

"So you found this place too, huh?" Rin asked him, not looking away from the Capitol skyline.

"Yeah," Jack said.

There was a long silence between the two of them, filled only with the blowing wind and faint sounds of the Capitol below.

Finally, Jack said, "Tomorrow…"

"Yeah…" Rin answered.

There was another silence. Neither of them needed to say anything because they already knew what the other would say. That was how close their friendship was.

"Couldn't sleep?"

Jack and Rin leaped to their feet and whirled around at the voice directly behind them. Katniss was standing there in a thick jacket.

"How'd you know we were up here?" Rin asked.

"I heard you," she replied. "Even the mentors are usually awake the night before the Games."

"What about Haymitch and Peeta?" Jack inquired.

"Well, Haymitch is drunk," Katniss said bluntly, and the two tributes nodded to confirm that they had been thinking that. "And Peeta is way over on the other side of our floor."

Jack and Rin nodded and turned back towards the edge of the roof, but were surprised when Katniss plopped down in between the two of them.

"Why are you even up here?" Rin asked.

Instead of answering her directly, Katniss started by saying, "Look, I know how you two feel."

Jack and Rin stared at her, surprised by the unexpected response.

"It's going to be horrible, and terrifying, and dangerous," she continued. "I know you two are scared out of your wits, and you're already wondering how you'll survive. But don't worry about it."

"Don't worry about it?" Jack asked incredulously, getting ready to explode. "_Don't worry about it?_"

Katniss nodded. "You'll do fine."

His anger came to an abrupt halt and he sighed deeply.

"Just keep doing what you've been doing," she continued. "You've been enjoying what's left of life. It's the same in the arena. Let them know that you haven't given up yet, because when you give up, you're already dead."

The two nodded to her firmly. There was a long silence until Jack sighed again and slumped. "I just- Both of us, I mean," he said, not taking his eyes off the skyline. "We just want to make the Capitol know that they can't control us. We want them to know that they may be able to reap us and put us through all this show and send us to our deaths, but they can't control us completely."

Katniss kept a steady gaze on him for a long moment, then switched it to Rin. Then she snorted and looked at the towering buildings of the Capitol. "Peeta said the exact same thing before our games. And look what happened there."

Both their heads snapped around to stare at her. She stood up with a slight smile and, stretching her hands above her head. "I'm sacked," she said. "You two had better go to bed too. It'll get you rested up." With that, she turned away and descended the stairs back into the Training Center.

Jack and Rin gazed after her a moment before looked at each other.

"She meant something when she said that," Rin stated.

"Yeah," Jack said, nodding. "I think she meant that if we really try, both of us can come out of there."

"It'll be slim that one of us does," Rin said. "But both?"

"But we'll try," Jack said, his voice hardening with resolve.

Rin nodded firmly. Then she sighed and stood. "I'm going to bed," she said. "You should too."

"I will in a few minutes," Jack said.

Rin nodded and headed down.

Jack stared off the roof for a few more minutes. He was about to stand and leave when the door opened again and he heard a steady voice.

"I should've known you'd be up here."

Jack turned quickly and was immensely surprised when he found himself staring at Urea.

"How…How'd you get up here?" Jack said.

"I flew," she replied without humor, traveling over and standing beside his sitting form. "I climbed the stairs, what do you think I did?"

"I didn't know they had stairs…Why are you up here?" Jack asked.

"Can't sleep."

"Are you excited or-"

"Why would I be excited?" her tone was incredibly accusatory.

"Well, you come from a Career District, so I thought…"

"I told you already, I hate the Games."

"Sorry…"

There was a still, long moment of silence. Then,

"Excited isn't exactly the word I'm looking for, but I'm definitely not afraid."

Jack looked at her, eyebrows raised. "What do you mean?"

"You'll find out soon," Urea answered. "I'm going back. I just needed some fresh air."

Without another word, she walked back down the stairs.

Jack sat out there for another five minutes, musing over her words without any more interruption. Then he stood and headed back down to his room.

He closed the door behind him and slipped off his jacket. Hanging it up, he landed in bed and pulled the covers over himself. After a couple minutes, his exhausted mind slipped into sleep.

…

Jack's first thought: _Today's the day._

He sat up in bed. The covers around him were twisted wildly, and Jack knew he had been reacting from his nightmares last night. Dawn light shone dimly through his window, and Jack thought how amazing it was that this could be such a horrible day, yet nature kept going on.

He climbed out of bed and padded into his bathroom. He stepped into the shower and washed ice-cold water over himself, trying to jolt his mind out of its dazed state. He slipped some clothes on and walked out.

He came fully alert when banging sounded on his door. A moment later, a grinning Katniss emerged.

"What was that for?" Jack all but shouted at her. "You scared me half to death!"

"That's what I meant to do!" she exclaimed her face still cheery. She looked him up and down and said, "Hey, look at that! You're all dressed! Then let's go!" She gripped his shirt collar and pulled him out of his room and yanked him into his seat to eat breakfast.

Jack found himself staring at the widely grinning faces of Portia, Cinna, and Effie. He looked to his left to see a smiling Peeta pull Rin into the room and push her into her seat. The two victors sat down beside each other. And through it all, none of the other five ceased their smiling.

"Where's Haymitch?" Jack asked.

"You're worried about Haymitch?" Peeta asked, a hint of laughter in his voice. "He's already in the Game Headquarters."

"Oh."

They began to eat, occasionally chatting. And through it all, the smiling never faltered. Each of them joked and laughed and a happy aura surrounded all of them. Jack couldn't keep a stoic expression on his face, and he was soon giddy. He glanced at Rin to see her the same way. He knew that was what they wanted, and he figured it must have been good.

…

"Okay," Katniss said, still grinning. "Are you two set on what you want to do?"

Jack and Rin nodded, smiling in return.

"Any last tips?" Rin questioned.

Katniss and Peeta exchanged a glance. "Stay alive," they said simultaneously.

"Haymitch?" Jack asked dryly.

The two nodded.

"But seriously," Peeta continued. "Everything we've told you before. Remember, _find a source of water_."

"Right," Rin and Jack said simultaneously.

There was a long silence, and the grins slowly melted off of their faces as they realized this was it, the last goodbye.

Then the two victors put their hands on the tributes head. Peeta laid his hand upon Rin's head, and Jack felt Katniss's on his. The two smiled fondly at them.

"You two are the best tributes we've had," Peeta said among their surprise.

"You haven't given up, and you've decided to do what so many people can't do at this point, and you decided to enjoy your life while you have the chance," Katniss stated.

Their mentors looked at each other, looked back at them, and said simultaneously, "You two had better come back alive."

With that, they stepped backwards and walked away, waving a hand behind their backs.

"Come on, let's go!" a Peacekeeper yelled at them.

Jack nodded to Rin and said, "See you in the arena."

Rin nodded back. "You too."

With those words, the two of them parted ways. Jack stepped onto the ladder of the Hovercraft and was frozen in place. A woman approached him and injected the tracker into his arm. He was released from the ladder and a moment later, Portia was carried upwards.

Normally, they would eat breakfast during the ride, but this year, for unknown reasons, the tributes ate breakfast at the Training Center, and all Jack had to do now was wait.

…

Jack showered again, as was required. He stepped back into the Launch Room and Portia helped him into his clothes.

This year, the suit consisted of a white shirt with long sleeves and white tights. Over this was a black zip-up trench coat and camouflage cargo pants, along with gray leather boots and black fingerless gloves.

Portia stepped back and looked him up and down. "It looks like their gonna have some pretty cold nights," she said. "Hopefully not anything too serious."

A woman's voice came out of unknown speakers and announced it was time for launch. Portia led Jack over to the metal plate that would take him into the arena.

Terror suddenly engulfed Jack and he said, "Portia."

"Yes, Jack?" she said, her voice soft and gentle.

"Can you tell Katniss I said thank you? I never got the chance."

Portia looked surprised by this request and she asked, "For what?"

"She'll know," Jack replied quickly. "And thank _you_."

Portia's visible confusion was replaced with gentle kindness. "You're welcome," she replied softly. "You can win Jack, I know you can."

The cylinder of glass started to lower and closed around him, but not before he heard Portia say,

"The phoenix is reborn from the ashes."

Jack didn't even get to send her a questioning look, for he was already heading upwards. Jack closed his eyes, and he soon sensed light through his closed eyelids.

"Ladies and gentlemen, let the 81st Hunger Games begin!"

Jack's eyes snapped open and he gazed around himself.

The immediate surrounding arena was a plain, full of grain and completely flat. On one side of the arena was a forest, green and lush. Another side was rocky and unstable, gray and dead and full of mountains and caves. One more side had an enormous lake reaching from the plain to the edge of the arena, blue and beautiful. The remaining side has a gigantic mountain surrounded by another forest.

The tributes were in a bare circle in the center of the plain. The Cornucopia was in the center of the circle, piled with items of various shapes and sizes.

In the last couple seconds, Jack met eyes with all the others of their alliance and jerked his head towards the mountain. It was a little further away from him than the others, but this meant they had the most likely chance of escape for all of them. The only problem was that Urea was clear on the opposite side, but when he jerked his head towards the mountain with raised eyebrows, she nodded to him firmly. Jack was satisfied and set his feet, getting ready to run…

Then the gong sounded.

* * *

><p><strong>Next Time...<strong>

_"Relax. It's just us."_

_"Anybody know where Urea is?"_

_"It's warm."_

_"They found us already?"_

_"Look out!"_

* * *

><p><strong>Hope you liked it! Really review please! Reviews=Motivation!<strong>

* * *

><p><em>This has been a word of wisdom from the Praetor of the First Legion of Jelly Crabs.<em>


	5. Let the Games Begin

**Hey peeps! So I'm really excited about this story, and when I get excited about a story, I write faster, which is great news! I know this chapter is kind of choppy, but I wasn't exactly sure how to write it. And I absolutely loving the way it's heading. **

**Now, the previews at the end of each chapter have to change sometimes, because sometimes my mind just goes with the flow and the next chapter doesn't head the way I thought it will, but i like it anyways. So sometimes I change one or two lines in the previews of the next chapter, but they're usually the same.**

**AND GET THIS! After writing this chapter, I decided I'm gonna make a SEQUEL! I just came to me, and I was like, "This will be perfect!" So if you guys are liking it so far, I think you're gonna lovet he sequel, even if I haven't finished this story, I have the general idea of what I'm gonna do.**

**Anyways, you probably want to read now. Just make sure to read the note at he very bottom of this chapter. Thanks!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games Trilogy.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 5<p>

Let The Games Begin

Jack immediately dashed off his plate. He charged for the Cornucopia, searching the pile for items he would need. He sprinted with all he had, and got there in a moment.

He lunged for a pair of katana dual blades and snatched them up. He spotted a huge stuffed backpack and swung it onto his shoulder. Then he grabbed another pair of dual blades and managed to stuff two daggers into his pack and pockets. He whipped up a box of needles, a quiver of arrows, and took off in the nearest escape direction: towards the mountain.

Rin appeared beside him with another backpack, three quivers of arrows, and a bow. Laden down, the two of them struggled for the line of trees, and another tribute started chasing after them. He tackled Rin, who fell to the ground. Jack swung around and kicked the kid in the stomach, then slammed him across his cheek with the heel of his hand. He struggled to help Rin up, then the two of them kept running.

Dashing into the forest, the two of them ran until they came upon a couple of boulders creating a natural cave. They ducked inside and dropped to the ground, breathing hard.

Once they had caught their breath, they looked at each other and grinned. "You first," Jack said.

Rin waved a hand at her backpack, arrows, and bow. Then she slipped four daggers from her pants, along with a case of differently colored balls.

"Awesome!" Jack said, optimistic that they would survive at least a little longer than he thought.

"Now you," Rin said.

Jack gestured to his backpack, blades, and quiver. Then he pulled out his two knives and the case of needles.

They grinned at each other again.

"Okay," Jack said, getting down to business. "Let's see who gets what and where we're going to put them."

Rin nodded and snatched up all four quivers of arrows, including Jack's. Then she tossed him a dagger and set the case of strange balls between them. Then she grabbed the box of needles and tossed it between them. She adjusted the strap of two of the quivers and slipped them over the other two. Then she crisscrossed and adjusted them so they fit comfortably and conveniently on her back. She strapped one dagger to the right side of her waist, another on he left forearm, and held the other up, raising her eyebrows.

"Our boots," Jack said. "Let's put them in our boots in case of emergency."

She nodded and slipped the weapon into her boot.

Jack then picked up his four dual blades and adjusted them to match Rin's quivers. He strapped them onto his back and rolled his shoulders experimentally. Satisfied, he copied Rin's procedure with his own three daggers and looked at the two cases.

"What are these for?" Jack wondered.

"The needles are for throwing," Rin said, picking them up. "Hitting a pressure point with one of these could at least decapitate someone, and if you hit someone just right, you could kill them. They can be used for a lot of other stuff too. I'll use them."

Jack nodded. It was a smart choice. Long range was a strength of hers. "What about those balls?"

"They're for a bunch of things."

Rin and Jack leaped up and turned toward the mouth of the cave. Two figures blocked half of the light, and Jack couldn't identify them. So Rin drew an arrow and Jack unsheathed two of his dual blades.

"Relax," the figure on the left said. "It's just us. Jute and Lily. And we've got Haley and Vincent and Nina with us." The two figures stepped away, revealing three others. The light hit their faces to reveal that they were indeed the two tributes' allies.

"Awesome," Jack said, grinning and sheathing his swords. Rin put away her weapon as well. Jack slipped the case of balls into his pocket and continued. "I'll make sure I don't pick anything poisonous."

"That'd be smart," Jute said.

Just then, rustling sounded to their right. All of them tensed and prepared for a battle. Then Kim and Andrew appeared.

"Great," Jack said. Then he glanced around at all of them. Jute and Lily both had hatchets in their hands and huge backpacks hanging off of their shoulders. Haley had a small pack in one hand and a roll of wire in the other. Vincent and Andrew both had medium-sized packs on them as well. Andrew had three large bottles of water and Vincent had a knife in his hand. Nina and Kim had nothing.

"Whoa," Jack marveled, gazing around at all of them. "You guys…whoa. The beginning of the games and we're already prepared. This is…how did you guys get all of this? Rin and I were expecting a knife in the back any second because we took so long. What happened?"

All the others exchanged glances that looked halfway between awe and fear. Jute was the first to speak.

"It was Urea," he said. "You guys got there before her, but she ran…fast. Really fast. She grabbed two knives and while all of us but Nina and Kim were heading towards the Cornucopia, the Careers got there. I think it would've been the end of you two if she hadn't been there. She yelled at the rest of us to get some stuff and we all did it as fast as we could, the stuff closest to us. As far as I'm concerned, she was still fighting when we got into the forest."

"Anybody know where Urea is now?" Jack questioned, looking at all of them incredulously.

None of them would meet his eyes, and Jack knew they were all betting the same thing.

He took a deep breath. Until now, he hadn't thought about it, but everyone had just established him as the leader without a discussion. Now he had to be strong.

"Okay," he said, his voice cracking. Then again, steady this time. "Okay. Well, we need to get moving. We're still really close to the edge of the-"

**BOOM.**

They all jumped at the sound of the cannon. They all looked at each other, and they knew what it meant. Rin put a hand to her mouth; Jute rubbed his face with his hand, Lily looked up at the sky, muttering what Jack assumed was a prayer.

"We need to get moving," Jack repeated, feeling nauseous. "We're too close to the edge of the forest. We'll probably be best off just above the base of the mountain.

They all nodded at him. They had all unconsciously dropped their backpacks when the cannon went off, and now they picked them up. Jack turned, keeping the horror he was feeling inside from boiling to the surface. He knew Rin was doing the same beside him. They started walking towards the mountain towering above them, and he heard footsteps beginning to follow him behind.

They walked for an hour, two more cannons sounding before they made it to the mountain. Jack picked his way up for a couple hundred yards before he conveniently found a place to hide in. He was about to step inside when Andrew stopped him.

"Wait," he said, nearly at the back of the pack. "There might be something inside. Kind of weird that it's right there, all set up conveniently."

Jack and Rin exchanged a glance that said they hadn't thought of that, and that they were glad Andrew had said something. Jack nodded and Rin pulled out an arrow, notching it. She took a hesitant step in, then another. She slowly made her way in until she made it to the back of the cave. Turning, she said, "Nothing. We're good."

Jack nodded, imaging how much the Gamemakers were laughing at the paranoid act. He climbed inside and turned around, surveying the place.

"I think there's enough room in here for all of us," he said.

The others moved in as one and sat in their respectful places around the cave.

"Everyone, no matter what, be ready to run if you need to," Jack commanded as he sat down as well in the back of the cave, facing the rest of them. "We have no idea what could happen, so we have to stay alert. We can set up watch later. For now, let's take stock of what we've got."

They had in total seventeen bottles of water, seven packs of dried meat, three packs of crackers, an entire loaf of bread when combined, three more daggers, and two sleeping bags. Eight of the water bottles were bone-dry, the others filled to the max.

Jack had split it up so that everyone had one water bottle and gave a dry one to everyone but Kim, who reasoned she would need less water than the rest of them. Then he split the food evenly and gave each person a slice of bread. The smallest of them all, Kim and Haley, got the sleeping bags. He made sure each person had a dagger, using both the new ones and the ones he and Rin had retrieved.

"We're in really good shape," Jack remarked as he glanced around at all of them. "We're a little short of food, but hopefully it will last us a few days."

"I can go set some snares," Lily said.

"And I can grab some berries," Jute added.

Jack, along with all the others, stared at hem.

Nina started, "But how would you-"

Lily rolled her eyes and grinned. "We're from District 7!" she told them, like it should be obvious.

Jack nodded and said, "Okay. You guys okay alone?"

They nodded.

"Okay, then. Go."

They nodded again and the left the confines of the cave.

"We should get some rest while we can," Jack said, once they were off. "We're going to need it."

"We're going to need a guard," Vincent said.

Jack opened his mouth, but Andrew got to it first. "I'll do it," he said. He looked back at Jack and said, "I'd say two hours." Jack nodded and he walked out of the cave, dagger in hand.

They all got as comfortable on the floor of the cave. Jack positioned his backpack against he cave wall and used it as a pillow, gazing out the mouth of the cave. Rin did the same beside him.

"It doesn't seem real," she said.

"Yeah," Jack replied.

They all sat there in silence, and Jack was just dozing off after about thirty minutes when he heard voices. Lifting his head and rubbing his eyes, he sat up to see Andrew greeting Jute and Lily. The two District 7 tributes walked into the cave and sat near Jack.

"Well?" Jack asked them. "Did you get it done?"

"I got a few snares up," Lily said. "They should catch something in the next twelve hours."

"And I managed to grab a bag of berries," Jute said, holding up something wrapped in cloth. "We have to be careful though. There are a lot of poisonous ones out here."

Jack nodded and the two settled in. Another hour past as they murmured plans and strategies to each other.

"Change," Andrew called, climbing back into the cave.

Jack nodded and opened his mouth, but not before Rin stood and switched with him. She was just at the mouth of the cave when three cannon shots sounded. Everyone jumped. Jack stood quickly.

"Three more?" Haley asked in a terrified voice.

"No," Rin replied as she and Jack moved swiftly towards the cave entrance, Jute, Lily, and Andrew by their side. "It's the death recaps."

The five of them moved the flat slab of rock in front of the cave and tried to look out over the trees, which were blocking their view of the sky in the center of the arena.

"I can't see who it is," Rin remarked as she moved around to get a better look.

Jute said, "Well, we know it was three, and we know who one of those was…."

The mood dampened as he trailed off, and no one said anything more. The glow in the sky ceased and night overtook the arena.

"I'll…um, take watch," Rin said, swallowing hard.

Jack nodded and slumped into the cave along with the other three. He lay his head on his backpack and said to the others, "Get some sleep. Rin, wake me up in two hours."

"Okay," Rin replied as the others shifted around to get comfortable.

Jack lay in the silence for fifteen minutes, his mind going over the events of the day, from the Training Center to the arena he was in now. Finally, he closed his eyes, deciding to sleep as best as he could.

And moments later, he was asleep.

…

"_Tell us your strengths. What are you good at?"_

Jack jolted awake, his eyes snapping open. He almost lashed out at the person who was shaking him, but managed to stop himself in time.

"Your turn," Rin told him, her face in shadow.

Jack grunted and stood, rubbing his eyes. "Can you keep watch for a couple more minutes?" he asked.

"Why?" Rin said, a curious look on her face instead of an accusatory one.

"I need to check something," Jack replied, already heading closer to the mouth of the cave.

"Okay," Rin said, walking past him and in front of the cave.

Jack made his way towards Haley and shook his shoulder. The boy took a moment, then jumped and turned quickly in his sleeping bag to look at Jack. Jack put a finger to his lips and helped the boy pull himself out of the heat-reflecting cloth. He led him out of the cave and into the moonlight beside Rin.

"Why'd you wake him up?" Rin hissed.

Jack ignored her and looked Haley in the eye. "Are you good with technology?"

Haley stared at him with bleary eyes for a moment before he replied, "Yeah. Why?"

"Do you think you could…change the arena?"

Haley's eyes widened, all signs of sleep gone now. "What?" he asked as if he didn't hear Jack.

"Can you change the arena?"

"What do you mean?"

"Like…the mines around the Cornucopia. Can you turn those back on?"

Rin's eyes widened. "Of course. Just like in the 74th!"

Jack nodded to her and looked back at Haley. The freckled boy was gazing at he ground, and Jack could almost see the gears in his head turning.

"I might…" he said. "But I'm not sure."

"Okay," Jack said, letting out a breath he didn't know he had been holding. "Okay. I just wanted to ask."

"It couldn't have waited 'til morning?" the other boy wined, yawning.

"No," Jack sarcastically agreed. Then he motioned both him and Rin back to the cave. Rin cave him a condescending look before following after the young tribute.

Jack sighed and stood still but alert on the moon-bathed stone, gazing out over the arena.

…

Jack woke up to the appearance of the rising sun. Well, he knew it wasn't a real sun, but it counted as one to him right now.

He leaned forward and stretched, getting the kinks out of his body. Then he stood. Picking around his slowly waking comrades, he made his way to the mouth of the cave where Vincent was keeping watch.

"Hey," Jack said, making the boy look at him. "How's it going?"

"Oh, waiting around for slaughter," Vincent said sarcastically with a grin on his face. "I'm doing great."

Jack laughed, then turned to see Kim up and standing, but with her whole front side pressed against he wall of the cave.

"Kim?" he said, confused as he walked over to her. "What are you doing?"

"I'm feeling the wall," she replied.

Around them, the others were waking up and seeing what they were doing. All of them were looking at Kim strangely. Rin stepped up beside Jack.

"Why?" Jack asked.

"You mean you didn't notice it?" Kim said, her eyes on him though she didn't move.

"You're right," Lily said, her hand pressed against the rock wall. "I feel it too."

"What is it?" Rin asked.

"It's warm," Lily answered.

"Warm?" Jack said. He stepped up beside Kim and felt the stone with his hand. Sure enough, the ragged surface felt heated, not burning, but warm.

"That's why I was so hot last night," Haley realized. "The warmth from the walls was keeping the cave hot."

"What does it mean though?" Nina asked.

They all shook their heads simultaneously.

"We'll just have to watch for signs of anything strange," Jack decided. "This will keep us warm during the night at least."

They all nodded to him.

…

Jack jolted awake.

"Get up!" Andrew's panicky voice yelled in the darkness. "Get up! They're here! Get up!"

Jack leaped to his feet, already jamming things into his backpack. He added his voice to Andrew's, and soon they were all awake, pushing their meager belongings into their packs. Haley struggled with his sleeping bag, but Vincent shouted, "They're almost here! Move!" Then he was running out of the cave, along with Nina and Andrew.

"Leave it!" Jack said, pulling Haley and his backpack along with him. He sprinted after the other three, the rest of the alliance running after him.

"They found us already?" Rin grunted next to Jack.

Jack didn't answer, but continued running.

Soon they were all running together. Rin had an arrow notched in her bow and everyone had a weapon unsheathed, save for Kim, Haley, and Nina. As they ran, Jack could hear footfalls and whooping behind him. He glanced over his shoulder frequently to see the Careers gaining on them.

Then Nina tripped.

Her body fell to the forest floor and almost took out Haley, but Jack managed to catch his collar and heave him back up before he hit the ground. He wanted more than anything to turn back, to help, but he knew that wasn't an option. He squeezed his eyes shut as Nina cried out and the Careers cheered. But he kept running, his feet pounding across the ground.

They continued to run, all of them never stopping. The Careers were behind them still, but fewer this time. Jack looked over his shoulder to see one of them gone. Just one. He swung his head back around in front of him to see that their group was breaking out into the plain.

Then they were sprinting across the tall grass, picking up speed now that they were on stable ground. But so did the Careers. They dashed past the Cornucopia, and the boy from District 10, who was obviously keeping guard, saw them. He looked over at his fellow Careers and cheered.

They were almost to the trees again, almost into plain forest. Rin twisted her torso around to aim behind her as she kept running. She released, and the arrow slammed into the District 2 boy's knee. He yelled in pain and tumbled to the ground. Rin turned again and caught a second wind, running in front of the rest of the group.

**BOOM.**

Jack's breath caught for a moment, and he fell to the back of the group. Right before they ducked into the forest, one of the Careers threw something.

"Look out!" someone yelled.

The dagger clanged off of one of his scabbards, and he felt the force of the throw. He stumbled, but kept going.

They burst into the forest, and even though they knew the Careers weren't following them anymore, they continued to run. They ran for another ten minutes without stopping before Jack finally shouted, "That's enough!"

They all came to a stop, gasping for air. One by one, the eight of them collapsed to the ground. Several sobs filled Jack's ears as he plopped down onto a log beside him. None of them said anything as they slumped in shock and the aftermath of fear-induced adrenaline.

Jack leaned against he tree beside him, his breath calming slowly. His eyes closed.

He fell asleep.

…

"Wake up."

Rin's face appeared in front of his, her hand on his shoulder, shaking him. He picked up his head and rubbed his eyes, looking around himself in confusion. The others were either stretching and yawning or still dozing.

"I just woke up," she said, answering the question Jack had just opened his mouth to ask. "I'm waking everyone else up. We need to do _something_ today."

Jack nodded and thought as Rin woke up the rest of the alliance. Soon they were all wide-eyed and staring at him.

"Okay," Jack said, taking a deep breath and steeling himself. "They'll come looking for us an this side of the arena today, so we need to make sure we're back on the opposite side of the arena as soon as possible."

"Near the mountain?" Kim asked.

Jack nodded.

"Well, we can't just waltz through the field," Vincent said. "And there isn't much cover on either side of the arena to get to the mountain."

Jack nodded again. "I know," he said. "I have a plan. It's dangerous, but it's the only one we have."

* * *

><p><strong>Next Time...<strong>

_"We have to leave!"_

_"Andrew! Jump!"_

_"If we don't get water soon, we'll die."_

_"No! Get back!"_

_"Run!"_

* * *

><p><strong>Like I said, I know that chapter was kind of choppy. But I promise the next chapter will be much better. I'm pumped!<strong>

**OKAY. So. This is the note: I really need ideas for the arena. I'll probably use a lot of them in this one, but I think I'm going to use some idea in the sequel, if I get enough. (I'm not imaginitive enough.) If you guys could give me some idea, I think the story would speed along, because the next chapter will involve booby traps that I don't have yet. XD**

**Anyways, please tell me your ideas in a review or message! Thanks!**

* * *

><p><em>This has been a word of wisdom from the Praetor of the Firsit Legion of Jelly Crabs.<em>


	6. Raining Knives

**HEEEEEEEEEYYYYYYYY ! How's your summer going? Anything exciting lately? Yes? No? Maybe so? Okay. Well, I'm super excited because the 4th and final book of the 13th Reality Series comes out on eBook TOMORROW! Now, most of you probably have no idea what the heck that is, but it is a great series written by a great author. If you like sci-fi, it's the series for you. Check it out.**

**Okay, so on with the chapter! Hope you like it!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games series. (Psst, if I did, Katniss would be worrying more about he rebellion than she did about her boy troubles. Actually, she wouldn't even care abou the boys.)**

* * *

><p>Chapter 6<p>

Raining Knives

Jack looked back at the rest of the alliance, once more putting a finger to his lips. He peeked his head out of the tree line, glancing in the direction of the Cornucopia. The District 10 and District 2 boys were looking out to the forest the group had just come from, and probably wouldn't notice them.

It had taken forever for Rin, Jute, and Lily to camouflage them all. The three of them had used whatever they could find. Mud, leaves, even grass and dead bark. Jack looked around himself, making sure no one was around the lake. Then he signaled behind him and snuck out towards the water.

Everyone else followed closely behind, crouching low to the ground as they slowly moved towards the lake. They arrived near the shore, and Jack felt a tap on his shoulder. Vincent was holding up his metal water bottle, and it was obvious he wanted water before any of them. Jack nodded to him, and he slithered past him and to the edge of the lake.

The others moved forwards inch by inch as the boy dipped his bottle into the crystal clear water. He lifted it up to his mouth and gulped it down, the entire thing. When he was finished, he filled the bottle up again and grinned at the others, making it clear his thirst was now quenched. They moved forward as he motioned them over silently.

Suddenly, his eyes widened, and Jack and the others froze. His eyes became unfocused, then he dropped his bottle to the ground and clutched his throat tightly, as if he were trying to choke himself.

Jack, forgetting all need for stealth, jumped to his feet and rushed forward. Vincent collapsed to his side, still holding his throat tightly. His eyes bulged out as he tried to take breath in, but couldn't seem to do it. Jack swiftly knelt beside him and held his hands above the boy, unsure of what to do.

"What's wrong?" Rin asked frantically, sliding in next to him.

"I don't know," Jack replied, fear ripping through him.

Vincent continued to scrabble at his throat. He rolled across the ground, obviously in pain. His eyes were shut tight and he was gritting his teeth.

Then he started screaming.

They started as grunts at first, but quickly escalated into screams. They were brutal gurgling screams that transmitted immense pain just hearing them. Kim covered her ears, tears of horror filling her eyes.

"What's wrong?" Jack yelled to Vincent.

His screams soon went down to volume and dropped rapidly from there. Soon, the noise had stopped. He dropped his hands to his sides and his eyes slowly closed.

"Vincent?" Jack asked, panicky. "Vincent!"

**BOOM.**

Jack felt someone tugging on his shirt, and he looked back to see Rin struggling to pull him up, looking off to their left, towards the plain. No one was behind her, and Jack spotted the backs of his comrades disappearing into the forest behind him.

"Come on!" Rin said, yanking him to his feet. "We have to leave! They've seen us!"

Jack snapped his head around to stare at the plain. The two boys who had been guarding the Cornucopia were shouting to the other Careers, who looked like they had just emerged from the forest. They pointed to Jack and Rin, and the others of the pack cheered. They sprinted towards the two of them.

Jack sprang to his feet and ran as fast as he could into the forest, Rin by his side. The Careers chased after them as they plunged into the brush. The two of them ran as fast as they could, and soon caught up with the others of their alliance.

"Faster!" Jack grunted, his breath coming in short gasps. "They're right behind us!"

This obviously encouraged them, because they sped up and Jack once more fell to the back of the group. A dagger skimmed his right arm, and he flinched sideways. It whizzed past Lily's head, missing her by mere inches.

"Follow me!" Jack shouted to them, pumping his legs so he was at the front of the group. He continued running until the Careers were only feet away, then took a sharp right towards the plain.

If he had been worried about his allies diverting too, he needn't have worried. They all seemed to get the message somehow, and as he turned, they followed closely. The Careers yelled as they stumbled, trying to regain their footing. Soon, they were after them again, and closing in once more.

The exploded out of the forest, and Jack banked so he was running on the edge of the forest. The others followed suit, and the Careers did the same behind them, whooping continuously. Jack drove his way back into the forest once he was nearing the rocky part of the arena, and they all copied him. They continued this game of turning until Jack's alliance started tiring, and the Careers began ganging.

Jack spotted a shine up ahead and barely managed to hop over the trip wire. The others saw his reaction and seemed to realize it would mean imminent death to touch it. They all jumped over it. But Andrew was at he back of the pack, too busy looking over his shoulder to notice.

"Andrew!" Jack shouted. "Jump!"

Andrew looked ahead at him in confusion, then he looked down. His face showed surprise and shock as his foot hit the wire and he went tumbling to the ground.

A shower of knives rained down from the trees around the area. Everyone but Andrew was out of range, and they all stopped to stare in horror at the scene. The Careers realized too late what was happening and skidded to a stop, already trying to scramble backwards. The daggers slammed into both District 1 tributes and Andrew, narrowly missing the girl from District 2.

Dead silence.

Even the Careers didn't move as they stared in horror at their comrades. Haley started to wretch on the ground, followed closely by Jute. Poor little Kim's eyes were wide as saucers, her mouth open in pure terror.

**BOOM.**

**BOOM.**

Then the District 1 girl moved, groaning, and the Careers rushed forward. They picked her up off the ground, and Jack saw she was lucky enough only to be nailed in her right shoulder and several places in her left calf and right thigh. The Careers all glared at them before they set off towards the Cornucopia, obviously too shaken or maybe satisfied enough to give up the chase.

Jack forced himself to turn away from the bloody mess and ushered the others to start forward. Rin forced an emotionless mask onto her face and helped him, and they were soon trekking slowly towards the lake.

Soon enough, Jack stopped and stared at the ground for a long moment. Then he turned towards the others. "That makes six of us, seven of them last I checked, and two of them are injured. That means two loners died, which means there is four loners, and seventeen of us left total."

There was stretch of silence as they stared at him, waiting for him to continue.

"We obviously can't drink from that lake," Rin said, trying to help him out. "It was probably some kind of poison of something."

Jack was silent before saying, "If we don't get water soon, we'll die. All this running from the Careers is dehydrating us faster than we thought it would."

There was another long stretch of silence.

Jack shook his head to clear his mind and said, "We need to move. All of us still have our camouflage on. We'll cross around the far end of the lake and into the mountain again, got it?"

They nodded absently to him and he turned. Then he stopped, and turned to look at Jute and Lily. "You guys probably have the best sense of direction in a forest. Why don't you lead us to the lake and we'll go from there."

The two nodded once more and stepped to the front of the group. They looked around for a long second before nodding to each other and simultaneously heading the same direction. The rest of the group followed, Jack and Rin at the back.

"After seeing all of this," Rin said. "I really don't think one of us can come back, much less…y'know."

She said the last part hesitantly, glancing around. She looked at Jack, then nodded her head sideways, and he knew she didn't want to say anything in front of the cameras that were no doubt stationed around them.

Jack nodded. And they continued to walk in silence. After an hour, then came to the edge of the clearing where the lake was situated. Jute and Lily beckoned Jack and Rin forward.

Jack peered around the edge of the tree line and looked towards the plain to see the Careers lounging around, taking a break for the day. Jack turned back to the group waiting expectantly behind him.

"They're resting, so we need to make our move now," he told them. They nodded and he started walking.

He moved along the edge of the tree line towards the end of the lake farthest away from the center of the arena. They walked like this for two hours. It took longer than going straight on because of the curves in the edge of the forest, but they got close to the edge of the lake with a couple hours of daylight remaining.

Jack came to a stop, glancing around for a moment. Then he sat down and ordered a break. They all plopped down and ate tiny morsels of meat and bread, leaving just enough for one more meager meal. Then they started forward again. They finally made it the edge and Jack motioned them.

"Let's go," he said.

The six of them cautiously moved forward across the flat grassland leading to the lake. Jack, not wanting anybody to accidentally trip and fall in, walked a couple yards past the shore of the lake. He stepped forward.

"No!" Haley shouted. "Get back!"

Jack had no time to react. His planted foot carried him forward and he slammed into the invisible shield. Fiery pain ripped through his body before everything went black.

…

Jack awoke with a splitting headache. He groaned as light penetrated his eyelids and he became aware of the pain pulsing throughout his body.

"Hey," Lily's soft but excited voice said. "I think he's awake."

Jack opened his eyes and saw Lily and the others crouched down beside him. A smile broke onto each and every one of their faces as his eyes opened, but Rin's was the widest of them all. She bent over and crushed him into a hug. Jack grunted in pain, and she pulled back, apologizing.

Jack sat up slowly rubbing his head. He looked around. "What happened?"

They all looked at Haley and the boy said, "It was the invisible shield."

"Invisible shield?" Jack inquired.

Haley nodded. "Yeah. Ever since the second Quarter Quell, they've had to be extra careful with them. They set them up around the edge of the arena so the tributes can't get out. If you run into them, they send electrical shocks into you're body. You're lucky to be alive, Jack."

Jack nodded, letting out a breath as he looked at the ground a few feet in front of him. Then he looked back up at Haley. "How do you know all this?" he asked.

Haley blushed and rubbed the back of his head. "There's this guy named Beetee," he replied. "He's a Victor. I see him in the streets a lot, and he stops to talk to me. Hang around with a guy as smart as that, and you learn a few things."

Jack nodded and stood, swaying for a moment. Rin steadied him.

"Whoa," she said. "Slow down there. You've been out since last night, and even that probably isn't long enough for your body to get back its energy."

"So…it's tomorrow?" Jack said.

Nobody answered them and there was an awkward silence. Then they all started chortling, realizing how ridiculous it sounded. The damp mood that had been hanging over the group since Andrew's death dissipated.

"But seriously," Jack said, returning to the task at hand. "Let's get moving. If we don't get to the other side, the Careers will find us."

They exchanged glances before Rin sighed heavily and moved to stand next to Jack. She hooked his left arm around the back of her neck, instructing him to lean on her if need be.

"Haley," Jack said. "Why don't you lead? I don't want anybody to run into that shield again."

Haley nodded and started leading the group. He walked around the edge of the lake, keeping just far enough from the shore as to not fall in if he tripped. He continued on like this, occasionally throwing dry grass to his right, the side opposite of the lake. Usually, the grass fluttered to the ground, but sometimes there was a sharp electric crackle and the grass disintegrated in midair.

Jack wrinkled his nose. "I ran into that?" he said.

"No," Haley said, shaking his head, though is face was slightly confused. "It seems like the electric charge is stronger over here, probably because there's less space to maneuver. You could easily die on accident here."

The continued on for an hour and a half until they came to the other side of the lake. They cautiously made their way across the bare expanse of grass and weeds and stopped in the forest surrounding the mountain.

"Okay," Jack said, pulling tentively away from Rin and testing his balance. "I think it's worn off now. Let go find-"

**BOOM.**

They were all silent as they realized this probably meant the death of a lone tribute. They dropped their heads to stare at the ground in silence for a long moment, then looked up and exchanged glances with each other.

"Sixteen left," Jack counted, sighing heavily. "Okay. Like I was saying, let's go find that cave from earlier. It was keeping us warm and it has a good vantage point."

They nodded and set off, their eyes wandering the forest around them. Finally, Lily sighed loudly and jogged over to the nearest tree. Jack stopped and watched her as she scaled easily up the tree, glancing down every once in a while to check her footing. She clambered onto a precariously skinny branch and sat down, supporting her back on the trunk.

"Mountain's over that way," she said, pointing to their left. She glanced down at them and said, "It's almost time for the death recaps. Just give me another couple minutes up here."

Jack nodded to her and then turned to the others. "We might as well camp out here," he said. "It's getting dark and we won't get anywhere like that."

They nodded and settled down on the ground. Haley pulled out a book of matches and stood to gather wood.

"Don't light a fire," Jute commanded him, stopping him in his tracks.

"Why not?" Haley asked, confused.

"One: it will attract the Careers," Jute answered. "Two: you might set the forest on fire and then we'd be in big trouble."

"Oh," Haley said, crestfallen. He sat back down on the ground and stuffed the matches into his bag.

**BOOM.**

** BOOM.**

** BOOM.**

** BOOM.**

"Here we go," Lily called down to them, looking out into the sky. "The District 1 boy, Vincent, Andrew, and the District 8 girl."

They were all silent as they digested the information. The glow disappeared from the sky, and Jack assumed the seal had as well. Lily scaled skillfully down the tree and dropped to the ground.

Jack took a deep breath and said, "Okay. Let's get some rest and we'll get back to the cave tomorrow."

…

Jack jolted awake and his senses immediately went on overdrive, trying to detect the source of his awakening.

Some leaves crackled in the distance and Jack's eyes darted around frantically. Fear crept into his gut and he slowly reached to his left to touch Rin.

Suddenly, a roar ripped through the air and a large figure leaped at Jack out of the darkness. Yelling, Jack rolled right. It's claws scraped across his back and he hissed in pain. The others shouted wordlessly as they were violently yanked from slumber. All of them scrambled backwards and reached for weapons.

The creature jumped at Jack again and he drew his right sword, pain flashing through his wounded shoulder as he did so. He barely managed to dodge sideways and the thing went flying past him. His slashed downwards and his sword cut into flesh. The animal roared in pain and whirled around, yanking his sword from his grasp. He drew his other right sword and held it in front of him, getting ready to dodge. The thing dropped down to pounce again.

An arrow suddenly shot out of nowhere and hit the figure in the side of the head. It's head snapped to the side and it stumbled for a moment, then collapsed to the ground.

Jack looked at Rin thankfully. She nodded to him, bow in hand with a second arrow nocked. Jack sheathed his sword and crept up to the thing. He fell to the ground and rolled his shoulders, groaning in pain.

"Here," Lily said, stepping up beside him with a roll of bandage. "Let me help."

Jack nodded and painfully slipped his coat and shirt off. Lily wrapped around his shoulder blades and chest, then tore the bandages and jammed them into her backpack. Jack put his shirt and coat back on and stood.

"Is that it?" Rin asked him, worry evident in her eyes as she walked up next to him. "Nothing else is hurt?"

"Yeah, other than that, I'm okay," Jack answered. He knelt down beside their attacker and examined the corpse. It looked cross between a lion and a tiger. A large cat, was all he could come up with. A mutt.

Jack stood again and retrieved his sword. He wiped it clean with leaves and glanced up at the lightening sky. Then he looked at the others, surveying him warily. "We should get going," he told them. "Let's see if we can find that cave before tonight."

They nodded and packed up their meager camp. Then they started walking in the direction Lily had pointed out before. After a few minutes of silence, Jack decided to face the matter at hand.

"We need food," he told the others. "And water."

"I've got berries," Jute said, holding up his small sack of fruit.

"And that snare I set up a couple days ago should have caught something by now," Lily remarked. "But something might've gotten to the prey first. I can always set up more."

"And water…well, they have to have _something_, don't they?" Haley said.

"Not necessarily," Jack said. "This could be one of those where they want us to fight to the death."

Kim whimpered behind him and Jack mentally slapped himself. Rin bent over and comforted the girl.

"We'll look after we find shelter," Jack decided once Kim was calm once more. "Then we'll go from there."

They nodded again and continued on.

…

It was what Jack estimated was five hours past noon when they finally arrived at he base of the mountain. They started climb up the rocky incline. Once they were about two hundred yards up the mountainside, they started to go to the right, searching for the cave.

Suddenly, Jack heard howls of excitement above him, and he looked up the mountain. Five Careers were sliding nimbly down the perilous ground, heading straight for them.

"Run!" Jack yelled to the others, already scrambling down the slope. The others followed him close behind and Rin appeared beside him.

"Now I know how they found us so easily," Rin said.

Jack nodded, huffing. "The District 10 boy was guarding the Cornucopia while the others were stationed at the top of the mountain." He glanced back. "And it looks like the District 2 boy recovered from that arrow you put in his leg."

Rin nodded and picked up the pace, forcing Jack and the others to do so as well.

Inevitably, Rin eventually stepped wrong, twisted her ankle, and fell to the ground. Jack tries to swerve around her so he could pick her up, but instead fell over her, and the two of them went tumbling down the slope, followed closely by Jute, Lily, and Haley. Kim hopped from rock to rock, running down the slope as quickly as they fell.

They slammed to a stop at the base of the mountain and untangled themselves quickly. They all stood and Jack looked up the slope to see the Careers struggling to catch up without doing the same trick.

Jack dashed into the forest, and the others followed his lead. They crashed through the brush and continued running for seven minutes, changing direction every now and then. Finally, Jack ordered a rest and they collapsed to the ground. They breathed hard as they calmed their beating hearts until all was quiet.

Jack grinned at the others and said, "We got away. It was a weird way to do it, but we got away."

The others smiled back at him and chuckled, weariness overcoming them.

"Quiet," Rin commanded, putting her index finger into the air and looking up at he sky. "I think…I think I hear a stream."

"What?" Jack said. They were all silent as they listened, straining their ears. Then Jack heard it. "It is a stream! I think it's coming from this way!"

He stood and went to his left. The others followed him and they hiked quickly through the trees, fueled by the thought of real water. Jack stopped suddenly and grinned.

"It _is _a stream!" he exclaimed joyfully. "Let's get some water!"

They all nodded encouragingly and knelt beside the clear flowing water. Everyone pulled out their water bottles-Kim now had two-and dipped them into the stream. There was nothing but the sound of running water, swallowing, and metal clanging against metal as they quenched their thirst. Finally, they filled all their water bottles and stood.

"Lily," Jack said. "Can you climb up a tree and see what direction this is from the cave?"

Lily nodded and scaled effortlessly up the tree right beside her. She climbed almost all the way to the top and called, "If you were to look at the mountain from the plain, we'd be to the right."

"Thanks," Jack cried up to her. She nodded and shimmied back down, her feet back on the ground in no time.

"Okay," Jack said the rest of the alliance. "We'll have to find a way to sneak past the Careers, but it seems like their switching from the plain to the top of the mountain. We'll see if we can get through while they're in the plain. But the nights are getting colder and we need a warm place to sleep without having to start a fire."

The others nodded.

"Well, it's turning into evening," he continued. "Let's pack up and see if we can get to the cave by the time it gets dark."

They nodded again and started packing up their things, which were strewn about in the excited flurry for water. Jack rolled his shoulder as he jammed things into his backpack. They felt a lot better than they had earlier.

Jack and Rin finished packing at the same time and stood beside each other as they waited for the others. They all stuffed the rest of their things into their packs and swung them onto their backs. Jack nodded to them and they nodded back. Jack turned and began to walk away from the stream, the others following close behind.

"You planning on leaving me here?"

Jack whirled around and gasped.

* * *

><p><strong>Next Time...<strong>

_"I'm bleeding out here."_

_"What...What is this!"_

_"That's something I don't joke about."_

_"You mean you don't know?"_

_"You don't mean..."_

* * *

><p><strong>CLIFFHANGER!<strong>

**Haha, I love doing that. I bet some of you know kind of what's happening here. I'll try to not leave you peeps in suspense and update soon. I've got a lot of free time on my hands lately.**

**Thanks for reading and review please!**

**PICKLES FOR THE WORLD!**

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><p><em>This has been a word of wisdom from the Praetor of the First Legion of Jelly Crabs.<em>


	7. Dangerous Comfort

**Hey guys! I know I said I'd update as soon as I could, but I hit a bit of a writer's block and I was a bit busier than I thought I'd be.**

**Anyways, you probably want to read now. Hope you like it!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games Trilogy.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 7<p>

Dangerous Comfort

"You planning on leaving me here?"

Jack whirled around and gasped.

"Come on," Urea said, looking up at them from her spot beside the stream, her face serious and unyielding. "I'm bleeding out here, you guys have got _some _bandages, right?"

"It's you," Rin whispered beside Jack.

She was gripping her left shoulder tightly with her shirt bunched over it, soaked in blood, and now she only had her coat on, the sleeves torn in several places. She had her right leg in the stream, submerged in water almost all the way up to her hip. She had a long gash on her left cheek, and more cuts and bruises covered her body.

"Seriously," Urea said, her voice getting hard. "I need some help here."

Jack turned towards the rest of his group and held out a hand to them. "Bandages?" he said. "I know we've got some."

Jute jolted to attention and reached into his backpack. He pulled out a roll of bandages and handed it to him. He started toward Urea, but Rin stopped him.

"Let me," she said. Jack nodded in understanding and handed her the bandage. She walked over to Urea and started to unwrap the bandage.

"What happened?" Jack asked.

"That doesn't matter right now," Urea said through grit teeth, obviously in pain. "I just need someone to wrap me up."

Jack nodded as Rin said, "Turn around, boys."

All the other boys seemed startled by this comment, but Jack did as he was told without question.

"Why?" Haley asked.

"Just do it," Jack said, knowing Rin was rolling her eyes at them.

They all grumbled but obeyed.

Jack heard cloth sliding around behind him, then Rin gasped in horror. "What…What is this!"

"It's nothing," he heard Urea respond reluctantly. "Just…"

"Yeah…" Rin replied shakily. "Yeah, okay."

There was a silence, only broken by unraveling bandage as Rin fixed up Urea's shoulder. Then Rin said, "Anyone got a clean shirt?"

"Yeah," Jack replied over his shoulder. Her reached backwards into his backpack and pulled out a white T-shirt. He tossed it over his head.

There was more sliding cloth, then Rin said, "Okay, there's your shoulder-you guys can turn around-now show me your leg."

She slipped the permission in there quickly, getting down to business right away. Jack turned around and saw Urea with only the T-shirt on, her shoulder wrapped in a fresh bandage. He heard the others do the same behind him.

Urea pulled her leg out of the water, and was met with several gasps. There were two extremely deep and wide gashes. One vertical one in her thigh, and another horizontal one at the bottom of her knee. There were rips in her pants in both places, and she had them rolled up.

Rin nodded firmly, obviously determined to fix her up. She wrapped the bandage around her leg in both spots, and soon the bandage was gone. Urea nodded her appreciation and rolled her pants back down, pulling on her boots. She slipped on her coat, though it had several rips and tears in it.

"I've got my stuff over there," she said, pointing to a clutter of bushes a few feet away. Rin followed her finger and pulled a backpack and a spear out from behind the brush.

"Is that all you have?" Jack asked her.

She looked at him with raised eyebrows and held up to 8-inch curved daggers. "I kept these next to me in case I needed to defend myself," she answered. "But I don't have anything else."

Jack nodded.

Urea struggled to her feet and leaned against the tree beside her, standing on her uninjured leg and wincing when her shoulder touched the trunk. Lily handed her backpack to Jute and stepped up next to her. She wrapped her uninjured arm around her shoulders and Urea leaned against her, still keeping off of her wounded leg.

"You have her things, Rin?" he said, looking over at her. "Good. Okay, we should get back to the cave as soon as possible. I'm assuming the Careers will be down at the plain. We'll be sure to check first."

…

"Yep," Lily called down from the tree. "They're all at the plain."

"Great," Jack said as she climbed down. "Let's get going then."

He glanced back at Rin, who was assisting Urea. Jute was now carrying both of the discarded backpacks and Lily hefted the spear Urea had retrieved.

They struggled up the rocky slope, Rin all but dragging Urea up the treacherous slope. Rocks tumbled down the side of the mountain as they climbed upwards, slipping and sliding. Finally, they arrived at the cave.

Rin hauled Urea all the way to the back, but the girl held up her hand. "I'm injured," she said. "Stick me at the opening."

"Well, this way, since you are injured, we can protect you if anyone comes," Rin argued.

"I don't need protection." Urea's voice was suddenly cold.

Rin glanced back and raised an eyebrow at Jack before she nodded to Urea and did as she said. Urea slid to the ground and leaned against wall of the cave, breathing a sigh of relief. She had been in much more pain than she let on.

Jack crouched down beside her. "How long do you think it'll take for your leg to heal?"

"I'd say two days until I can walk, probably three until I can run," she replied, laying a tentative hand over gash in the thigh of her pants, covering the view of the bandages underneath.

"Are you kidding?" Haley asked her incredulously as he nonchalantly dropped his backpack to the floor beside him. "Wounds like that take forever to heal without Capitol medicine. It'd take _at least_ six days until you could walk on your own, and more than a week for you to be able to run."

Urea looked at him. "You're forgetting, it's already been three days, and I heal faster than the average person."

"Let me guess," Jute said with a slight smirk on his face, leaning against the cave wall. "You're part starfish. It wouldn't surprise me, you being from District 4 and all. If we cut off one of your fingers, would it grow back?"

_Clang._

Jute jerked the left as a knife slammed into the rock beside his head and bounced off, creating sparks. If the weapon had been aimed for Jute's head, he would've had no time to dodge whatsoever.

The dagger rattled to a stop beside Urea, and Jack swung around to face her.

"What was that for?" he yelled at her. "You could've killed him!"

Urea met his angry gaze with cold eyes. "That's something I don't joke about."

Her voice was filled with so much malice that all the rage seeped out of Jack and was replaced by a splinter of fear. But there wasn't just hate in her voice, there was something else to. Almost like…sadness. A deep, aching sadness with no cure. Jack exchanged a glance with Rin and knew she heard it too.

"But seriously." Haley said, seemingly oblivious to all the emotions in the air. "How would you be able to heal faster than another person? It's impossible without the medicine."

Urea shook her head. "It's called adaptation. Animals aren't the only ones who do it."

Haley squinted at her as if he thought she were crazy. "What does this have to do with adaptation?"

"What's adaptation?" Kim asked innocently.

"It's when animals change so they can survive in their environment," Rin explained patiently to the girl, smiling lightly at her.

"Humans can adapt too," Urea answered Haley. "Maybe not as quickly, but we can. As a trained fighter, I get injured all the time. So my body adapted to heal quicker than normal."

"But Careers don't get hurt that often," Haley argued, unmoving. "That's what all the training is for!"

Urea sighed, frustrated. "Just forget it," there was a warning in her voice, telling him not to go too far or he'd be in serious trouble.

Haley heard the tone and backed off, physically wincing.

Jack sighed heavily, inwardly groaning. "Okay, well we need more food…So Rin, stay here with Urea. If trouble comes, um…whistle or something."

"Whistling won't work," Urea said, her head back against the cave wall and her eyes closed. "Use the mockingjays."

"They have mockingjays in the arena?" Rin said, light shining in her eyes.

Urea struggled to her feet and limped out of the cave. She came to the edge of the stone slab in front of the cave and stopped. Then she whistled a four-note tune that sounded familiar to Jack, though he couldn't quite place it.

Out of the corner of his eyes, Jack saw Rin cock her head to the side as the mockingjays in the surrounding forest picked up the tune. The four notes rebounded back and forth between the trees, below them, above them, all around.

Suddenly, Rin gasped and her hand flew to her mouth. "That's…that's the lullaby from the 74th isn't it?"

Urea glanced back at her and nodded slowly. Then she looked into the sky. Jack saw a strange light in her eyes. Something between…happiness and…remorse. And her eyes looked almost…misty.

Jack was so confused. One minute she was throwing knives at her comrades, the next she was having a debate with a thirteen-year-old, and then she was whistling songs from past Hunger Games and on the edge of tears. What was up with her?

"The 74th?" Kim asked.

"Those were the Games Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark were in," Lily explained, glancing at Jack and Rin. "The only Games with two victors."

"I wouldn't talk about the results if I were you," Urea said, glancing around the area as if there were invisible eyes watching. "The Capitol is always watching in a place like this."

The people of the Capitol probably wouldn't understand, but the meaning of her words hit Jack instantly. They couldn't talk about stuff like that here. They couldn't talk about the Capitol's mistakes. The Gamemakers wouldn't like it at all.

Jack turned to look at the rest of the alliance. "Rin, if you get in trouble, whistle that tune. The mockingjays will carry it across the forest and we'll hear you as long as we're in the general area. The rest of you come with me."

…

Jack was rolling out the wire for the snare he and Lily were setting up. He was opposite of her as he stepped backwards until she told him to stop. Then he tied the wire around the tree as she had instructed and she did the same opposite of him. Then she crouched beside the center of the snare, setting up the switch that would snap the jaws of death on some unfortunate animal.

Jack crouched beside her and watched her. After a long moment of silence, he said, "Have you noticed how Urea is acting? It's like she can't make up her mind about how she feels."

"Well, yeah," Lily said. "I don't really blame her, considering that her whole family's involved in the Hunger Games."

Jack's head snapped up and he stared at her. "What do you mean?" he said, curiosity burning fiercely within him.

"You mean you don't know?" Lily said to him, a strange look on her face, like she didn't believe what he was saying. "Her father and mother were-"

"Lily! Jack!" Jute's voice called.

Jack didn't move, but Lily sighed, finished the snare, and stood. "Come on," she said. "We'd better go."

Jack followed after her absently, wondering what he was missing.

…

Over the next three days, absolutely nothing happened. The alliance rested up their tired bodies, occasionally departing the cave to restore their food and water. The Careers didn't find them and no cannons fired.

"Something big is coming," Urea warned them on the second calm evening. "The Gamemakers are going to make a move soon, and it's going to be big."

"There's a storm comin' Jimmy," Jute said in the old western accent, laughing.

Needless to say, another knife found it's way into the wall beside his head.

Urea was healing too. By the second day's evening, she could walk and even jog slowly. And by midday on the third day, she was sprinting, leaping around the slab in front of the cave like a deer. Jack saw a side of her that he didn't think he'd see.

She actually looked happy. Fully and truly happy. She looked exhilarated and alive like there was nothing better in the world than to run as fast as she could until her chest was heaving up and down. She grinned widely whenever she did this, and Jack was even more confused about her than before.

On the third night, Jack was standing guard in front of the cave when Haley stepped up beside him, a wide grin on his face.

Jack glanced sideways at the boy. "What up?"

"I think I found something to our advantage," he replied.

Jack turned towards him fully now. "What do you mean?"

"You know how you asked me if I could do anything to change the arena a couple night back?" Haley asked him.

"Yeah." Jack said. "What about it?"

"I think I found a way to shut down the cameras for a little while," Haley told him.

"Whoa," was all that Jack said at first, the shock too overwhelming to say anything else. Then, "Whoa! Are you serious? You think you can really do that?"

Haley's grin widened. "Yeah. It still needs some work, but I think I can do it. It's a lot like a little project my brother and I were working on."

For some odd reason, the reference to his family surprised Jack, but he didn't comment on it. Instead, he said, "Take your time. It'll be a great asset if it works."

Haley nodded, but didn't go back into the cave. Instead, he stood beside Jack for ten long minutes before he finally said, "You remind me of him."

"What?" Jack asked, looking down at the younger boy.

"You remind me of him," Haley repeated. "My brother."

"Why?"

"He has the same color hair as you," he told him, laughing. "White as snow, or as I like to call him, Snow White."

"Snow White?" Jack asked. He'd never heard of it before.

Haley waved a hand in the air. "Our history in District 3 is recorded a lot better than the others. It was some story about a princess whose name was Snow White."

Jack laughed, shocking himself with the genuine feel of it.

"And he acts a lot like you too," Haley forged on. "Nothing ever seems to put him down and he's always enjoying life as he goes, no matter what's going to happen to him. He's a naturally-born leader too."

Jack blushed at the indirect compliments.

"And I loved him," Haley continued, his voice dropping. "I loved him more than my parents, which is really saying something. He and I were as close to glue as a human can get. You could never get one of us alone. Heck, we didn't even go to the bathroom without the other being in the same room."

Jack stared at him and the boy laughed. "I'm kidding!" he said, his face full of genuine happiness. "But we were really close to each other. Sometimes, we'd stay up all night making blueprints for ideas of invention or stories. But most of the time, we'd both go to bed when our parents told us. Then we'd talk about our day and we'd each memorize the best moment of our day and try to dream about it. And sometimes it even worked."

Jack could feel the mushy moment beginning to come to a close. "How old was your brother?" he asked.

"Fifteen, same as you," he said.

Jack nodded slowly, moving his gaze to the artificial night sky.

"You know who else you remind me of?" Haley said.

Jack looked at him again.

"Katniss Everdeen."

Jack raised both his eyebrows and stared inquiringly at the thirteen-year-old.

"You're a lot like she was too," Haley explained. "During her games. You don't like to give up, and you've definitely got that bar of steel that she obviously likes to call a spine."

Jack continued to stare at Haley, his curiosity transforming into confusion. "What did you say?"

Haley shook his head, grinning. "I just wanted to see if I could confuse you." He stood and walked towards the cave. But when he got the opening of it, he stopped, and without looking back, said, "But I was telling the truth. You are a lot like her." Then he plunged into the darkness of the cave.

Jack shook his head, smiling and looking out at the forest surrounding him, and he suddenly knew he just made a knew bond of friendship.

…

Katniss Everdeen.

The name was like poison to her ears, and she turned over so she could watch the two boys talking to each other.

"You're a lot like her too," Haley said.

Urea had noticed it too. Almost instantly.

She had noticed it during the chariot ride. And she had continued to see it occasionally ever since. That was the very thing that had led her to allying with him and his group of ragtag tributes.

Katniss Everdeen.

Urea rolled onto her other side again so she was looking at the back wall of the cave. Even to this day, she still wasn't exactly sure how she felt about the Girl On Fire. She knew at first she had hated her with all her might, but after all that had happened…

Urea touched a finger to her face, tracing her scar.

She had changed since the accident, since the First Day. She had changed drastically, and her feelings had changed as well. She used to hate Katniss Everdeen with all her heart, but now she wasn't sure whether she loved her for what she made her realize or hated her for it. Then again, it wasnt totally been her fault that all of this had happened. If anyone was to blame, it was the Capitol.

Urea shook her head, knowing the two boys would think it was strange if they saw the action, but she couldn't care less at the moment.

Resigning herself to debate her inner matters later, she closed her eyes and fell asleep.

…

Jack and the others were lounging around on the fourth day when it started. The light had just started to fade, creating a lame replacement of sunset.

"Is it just me, or is it really hot in here?" Urea asked suddenly

"It's the walls," Rin replied. "They were warm when we first got here. They've been getting hotter and hotter. It didn't take very long for them to heat up even more."

"The…walls?" Urea said in confusion.

"Yeah," Jack told her, motioning his arms around him. "The walls of the cave. They rock is warm."

"Warm?" Her face shifted slowly into an emotion Jack couldn't identify.

"Yep," Kim answered cheerfully. "It's really helpful because we don't get cold at night and we can go to sleep a lot easier."

Urea was silent for a moment, staring at them all. Jack could see realization slowly leak into her eyes. Then she came to her feet, already packing things into her bag.

"What are you doing?" Jute inquired.

Urea didn't answer, but laid her hand against the wall. She held it there for a moment, then nodded firmly to herself and continued packing.

"What are you doing?" Jack said, repeating Jute's words.

Urea stopped packing for a moment, whirling around to face them, a small amount of anger on her face. "Don't you get it?" she said. "The walls of the cave are warm, which means the entire mountain is heating up. Why would a mountain heat up?"

They all stared at her, not knowing the answer. Haley muttered her question to himself, then he gasped, his head snapping up to stare at Urea. "You don't mean…"

"Right," Urea said, nodding to him. She turned again and crouched over her bag, continuing to pack. Haley did the same next to his backpack.

"What are you two talking about?" Lily asked impatiently.

Urea whirled around and said loudly, "It's a volcano! We're standing in the middle of a volcano! And it's about to erupt!"

* * *

><p><strong>Next Time...<strong>

_"We have to get out of here! Now!"_

_"We're never going to outrun it!"_

_"HALEY!"_

_"That was a lot..."_

_"No way..."_

* * *

><p><strong>Cliffhanger!...Again!...Yeah.<strong>

**Hahahah! Thanks for reading! Please, please, PLEASE let me know what you think.**

**Remeber. Reviews=Motivation!**

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**PICKLES FOR THE WORLD!**

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><p><em>This has been a word of wisdom from the Praetor of the First Legion of Jelly Crabs.<em>


	8. Haze

**Hey guys! This chapter took longer than I thought it would! Sorry about that! I had soccer camp and I was busier than I thought. Enough of that, though. On to the story!**

**Hope you like it!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games Trilogy.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 8<p>

Haze

Jack didn't even get to register her words before Rin shoved him and the rest of them towards their packs. She made her way over to hers and started stuffing her things into her own pack.

"I'm surprised you two don't know," Urea said, glancing at Rin and Jack. "One of your mentors _is _Haymitch Abernathy."

"What does that have to do with it?" Jack asked, not taking his eyes off his work as he swiftly stuffed item after item into his pack.

Lily rolled her eyes and sighed exasperatedly, despite their situation. "God, you two know less about your own mentors than we do."

Then the rumbling started.

It started slight at first, not even noticeable. Then it quickly grew in power and the alliance noticed the vibration.

Urea swung her pack onto her shoulder and yelled to the rest of them, "We have to get out of here! Now! Leave what you don't have packed! Let's go!"

Without waiting for an answer, Urea sprinted down the side of the mountain-now volcano-and didn't look back. Jack abandoned what was left on the ground and pulled his pack over his shoulder. The other ran out ahead of him, but Haley was still trying to zip up his bag.

Jack grabbed the boy and his pack and shoved them out of the cave, following after.

The rumbling increased to an earthquake as the group ran as fast as they could. Then a roaring sound began, and Jack glanced backwards.

Through the trees, he could see red-hot lava pouring down the side of the mountain, racing towards them as they sprinted away from the base of the volcano.

And they ran. For what seemed like a long time, all Jack knew was running, placing once foot in front of the other. He could see the backs of the others. He could feel the heat of the lava on his own back. It was gaining on them.

They sprinted across the plain and saw the Careers disappear into forest on the opposite side. Haley was starting to fall behind, so Jack grabbed his wrist and started pulling him forward.

"We're never going to outrun it!" Rin yelled as they continued to run.

"Everyone get on top of the Cornucopia!" Urea commanded, veering towards the horn.

The others followed her. The lava was almost to them now. They sprinted towards the golden Cornucopia, disregarding stray lumps of food and other items. Urea took one step before taking a huge leap to the top. She reached down and pulled Rin atop the horn, then Kim and Jute.

And Haley tripped.

His arm slipped out of Jack's hand, almost taking him down with him. The boy fell to the ground and it took Jack a moment to realize what had happened. Then he stopped and turned to help the boy as the wave of lava advanced on him.

"HALEY!" he screamed.

He took a step forward, but two arms locked around his torso and dragged him backward. And the last thing he saw was Haley's scared face before the lava engulfed him.

Dead silence.

It was a ringing silence. He couldn't hear anything but the ringing in his ears as someone yanked him atop the Cornucopia. He couldn't hear anything as Lily climbed up after him and Urea yelled something to him.

Then a sharp pain exploded in his ear and the sound returned.

"Why the heck did you do that?" Rin shouted at Urea, looking ready to push the other girl off the Cornucopia. "You could've knocked him off the edge!"

Urea stared at Jack as she answered Rin. "We need to keep a clear head, all of us," she said, all but yelling to be heard over the roaring of the volcano.

Jack was sick of her attitude. "Haley just died!" he shouted in her face. "A thirteen year old just died! Are you so heartless that that doesn't even bother you? Are you just like the Capitol?"

There was a ringing of metal on metal as Urea unsheathed her right dagger. In the blink of an eye, it was at his throat, only a centimeter away from his skin. Her moves were so quick, none of them could react in time to stop her.

The scene stayed frozen like that for a long time, with Urea holding a knife at Jack's neck and the others of the alliance staring at her with wide eyes.

"Don't ever compare me to the Capitol," she growled, low enough not to be heard by the cameras over the roar of lava. But she was close enough to Jack that he could hear her words and the malice in them. "You have no idea how much pain they've put me through."

With that, she stepped away, sheathing he dagger again. She kept her eyes on Jack for a long moment before finally looking away and swiping at her eyes quickly. Then she turned to the rest of them. "We have to keep going. Moping isn't going to keep us alive." Even though she was turned away, Jack felt her words were directed at him, and it angered him to know she was right.

"There's not much else we can do but sit here," she continued. "Everyone should put something over their mouths. The ash and smoke will start to float through the air soon. We have to make sure we don't breath in any."

Jack pulled a stray long-sleeved shirt out of his backpack while the others grabbed various articles of clothing such as shirts and Kim even used a sock.

Jack peeked over the edge of the Cornucopia. Heat blasted his face as he gazed down at the lava flowing beneath him. The air simmered and the orange glow reflected off the gold sides of the Cornucopia.

There was a low boom and Jack looked up. Smoke and ash billowed out of the top of the volcano in a gray cloud. It spread outwards then drifted downwards across the forest. A slight breeze swept through Jack's hair and the cloud came a little closer to their alliance.

"I thought as much," Urea said behind him. "The Gamemakers are going to spread the ash around the arena. If we breathe in too much, we'll poison ourselves. Everyone tie something around your mouth and nose."

Jack wrapped the sleeves of the shirt around the back of his head and knotted them together so the rest of the shirt would cover his nose and mouth. The other ripped cloths apart to do the same and passed around shirts.

"And now we wait," Urea said.

…

Jack opened his eyes. He didn't remember falling asleep, but now he awoke when someone shook his shoulder. He jolted up and saw Urea standing beside him. He stood and she motioned over the edge of the Cornucopia. He peeked over it to see gray, hardened rock covering the ground entirely. Jack slid down the edge of the Cornucopia and looked around the arena.

The forest around the mountain was all but gone. A few ragged trees stood here and there, but they were few and far between. The forest on the opposite edge of the arena was partly burned away, but the lava seemed to have stopped before too many trees were destroyed. Covering the ground of most of the arena was the same gray rock Jack was standing on. A gray cloud hung ominously throughout the arena, heavy and dirty. The air itself was heated from the eruption a while ago.

Jack coughed a few times as Urea landed beside him.

"The others are over there," she said through the bundle of cloth wrapped around her head, pointing to his left.

He looked to where she was pointing to see Rin, Lily, Jute, and Kim crouched in a circle, speaking in low voices. Jack and Urea made their way towards them and they glanced back. The four of them stood.

"We're trying to find out how we're supposed to get any food or water," Lily explained. "The eruption most likely wiped out any plants and animals, and we know it burned up all the supplies around the Cornucopia. The streams were probably covered when the lava dried up. We still have some berries, meat, and a little water, but not enough to keep going for a long period of time."

"We'll figure it out as we go," Urea said. "But we need to get away from here unless we want the Careers after us."

"Too late," a voice said.

Without hesitation, Urea whirled around, swinging her elbow out behind her. It made contact with the District 10 boy's face. He stumbled backward and she followed it through with a roundhouse swing to his cheek. He stumbled sideways now and she brought her interlocked fists down on his head. As he doubled over, she punched him in the gut before hitting his nose with her knee. His head snapped backwards and she swept a leg out, knocking his legs out from under him. He hit the ground just as the other Careers got to them, and they tripped over his fallen form.

Then Urea was pushing them, shoving their backs and yelling at them to run. They went in the direction of the forest and were already in the trees when the Careers recovered. They ran for another few minutes before finally stopping.

There was no rock here, but the ash still hung in the air, suffocating Jack. The group coughed and heaved as they tried to catch their breath in the heavy air. Once Jack could breathe again, he glanced around.

"I think I solved our problem," he said.

By a wild stroke of luck, the six of them had stopped in a small clearing. Berries surrounded the clearing, and a clear stream trickled through the middle. The smoke still tainted the air, but the ash didn't seem to have come this far.

"Whoa," Kim said simply.

Without another word, they all pulled whatever they could find out of their backpacks to use as bags, mostly shreds of cloth or pieces of clothing. They picked and stored as many berries as they could before eating as many as they could. Then they refilled their water bottles and drank straight from the stream.

Finally, they settled down on the edge of the clearing. The sky had turned from a scarce blue to a sickly orange as the artificial sun lowered. As they watched, the sky darkened slowly until…

**BOOM.**

**BOOM.**

**BOOM.**

**BOOM.**

"That was a lot…" Kim murmured quietly.

Lily scrambled up a tree as soon as the first cannon sounded. She perched on a high branch and looked into the cloudy sky.

"The girl from District 1, Haley, the girl from District 3, and the boy from District 9," she reported, sliding back down again.

"So that mean District 1, District 3, District 5, District 6, and District 8 out of it," Rin reasoned.

"We've got the six of us left, along with some of the Careers and some loners." Urea calculated, her eyes turned towards the sky. Jack could almost see the wheels in her head turning. "So…both from District 2, both from District 4, both from District 7, the girl from District 9, the boy from District 10, both from District 11, and both from District 12." She brought her eyes back down to earth. "That means there are twelve of us left, half of the number that came in, and it's the eighth day."

The others nodded as she relayed the information.

"This is a great spot to camp out for now," Jute stated.

Urea nodded. "We'll stay here for as long as we can and keep our stocks up. When the Gamemakers make their next move or the Careers find us, we'll leave."

They all nodded in consent and crashed for the night.

…

Nothing happened for two days. No cannons went off and no disasters destroyed the arena. During this time, the cloudy haze from the eruption remained, though Jack noticed it was slowly ebbing away, as was the heat.

On the night of the second uneventful day, Jack jolted awake. The smoke still hung over them but it was considerably less than it had been that evening. He glanced around and stiffened when he saw an unnatural shadow in one of the trees beside the alliance. Then he relaxed when he realized it was only Urea. Making up his mind on something that had been troubling him for a while, he stood up quietly and scaled the tree.

"Hey," he said when he reached the branch Urea was on.

She whirled around and, without hesitation, punched him in the face.

Jack had no time to react whatsoever and flailed backwards, losing his grip. He experienced only a millisecond of freefall before a hand wrapped around his wrist. Without much visible effort, Urea heaved him onto the branch with her one arm.

Once Jack had recovered, he rubbed his nose, looking at her warily.

"What do you want?" Urea asked him curtly. Her voice was much harder than usual and she looked especially unforgiving.

"I want to know what your problem is," Jack retorted, steeling himself. "What is it that makes you so jumpy and so touchy about the Capitol?"

Urea was silent for a moment. Then she said, "That's none of your business."

"It's all of my business," Jack responded, almost stumbling on the sentence. "You've almost killed me three times now. If I die because of you, I'd at least like to know why."

Urea didn't answer him for a very lone time. Jack noticed her clutching something by her collarbone, and when she let it go, he saw that it was a necklace. It was a clear vial with ocean water in it. Floating in the water were several tiny seashells, as well as tiny purple rocks. The vial was hanging off of a string of black leather.

"I can't tell anybody," she finally murmured, breaking him out of his observations. "Not yet."

Jack felt his eyes widen. One moment she was practically hissing and spitting at him, and now she was acting all sentimental, as if her dog had just died.

"Leave me alone." Some of the malice had returned, but now it was laced with sorrow.

Jack couldn't seem to open his mouth to argue as he slid down the tree and landed on the ground. Without ceremony, he all but collapsed to the ground to sleep. But it took a long time for him to get his mind off of Urea's words.

…

Jack awoke the next morning when water splashed on his face. Sputtering, he jolted awake and shot up. Rin stood above him, grinning like a madwoman, holding her water bottle above him.

"I've always wanted to do that to you," she declared.

Jack wiped the water out of his eyes. "Whatever," he responded.

Rin laughed and walked over to the stream. As Jack stood, she refilled her bottle. Jack looked around the clearing to see the others already up and packing.

"I've got a bad feeling something bad is going to happen today," Urea answered his unspoken question, not even looking at him. "So we're moving out."

Jack didn't even try to argue as they continued to pack up. He did the same, stuffing tied cloths full of berries into his backpack, along with his water bottles. Once he was finished, he swung the bag over his shoulder, the others doing to same around him.

And right on cue: "Found you."

Before Jack knew what was happening, Urea was again shoving them out of the clearing. The Careers followed close behind them, whooping loudly and hollering. But this was a longer run, and by the time they were in the plain, the Careers were on them.

The District 2 boy was in front, and he leaped for the one in the back of the pack, who happened to be Kim. He grabbed the back of her shirt and tensed, about to pull her back.

Then he cried out loudly and stumbled to a stop.

A dagger was buried in his left hand, and he pulled it out as quickly as he could, tossing it to the side with a pained expression. Urea scooped her weapon up without hesitation and turned fully to face the Careers.

"Go on ahead!" she called to the rest of them over her shoulder. "I'm faster than these guys! I can outrun them!"

"But can you fight them?" Jack muttered under his breath. He stopped too and pushed Rin ahead. His best friend stopped for a second, staring at him with wide eyes. But he waved at her, and she bit her lip. After a moment of hesitation, she glanced at Kim and then kept running.

Jack stepped up beside Urea, unsheathing two of his swords.

"Just go!" Urea commanded harshly, keeping her eyes on the Careers. "You'll only get in my way!"

"Well it seems like I've been in your way for a while, the way you treat me," Jack retorted. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw her shoot a strange glance at him before returning her gaze to the group opposing them.

"Hey, lookie here!" the District 2 boy said, still clutching his hand. "It looks like we've got an extra catch here! A big one and a little tiny maggot!"

"Hey, Urea," the District 4 boy said, grinning tauntingly. "You taking sympathy on these guys because of what happened to your-"

"Shut up, Cole," Urea interrupted, fury like never before exploding in her eyes.

"And who's gonna make me?" Cole replied. "You and your little squad o' soldiers?"

Urea leaped forward and Cole barely managed to dodge sideways as she sliced at him. Jack took this as his cue and attacked the Careers as well.

It was a flurry of fighting after that. He would block the dagger of one Career and fend off another Career with a furious barrage of attacks. He managed to give two of the Careers some pretty deep cuts, though not enough to disarm or handicap them. Beside him, Urea fought like a whirlwind. Even against the Careers, she didn't seem to be in a panic at all. Her breathing was level, her face a mask of calm.

Finally, after what felt like eternity but was only a few minutes, Jack felt a hand on his collar. Urea yanked him out of the combat and started running beside him. The two of the sheathed their weapons and the Careers chased after them. One attempted to grab Urea's trench coat collar, but she managed to slip it off as he pulled.

The two of them outran the Careers and made their way into the remainder of the forest surrounding the volcano. The air was clogged with more ash here, but it did seem to have eased off over the last couple days.

They found the rest of the alliance without much a problem. The group was making an awful lot of noise, with Rin pacing across the clearing, Lily rustling up in the trees, Kim shifting every now and then, and Jute talking to himself. When Jack and Urea arrived, the four of them rushed towards them with wide eyes of relief.

"Thank goodness!" Rin exclaimed, looking the two of them over for wounds. Then she said, "Oh…"

Jack looked sideways. Urea was scarcely covered with any clothing. Her trench coat was gone, leaving her in a T-shirt. Her pants were ripped through in several places and her boots were starting to fall apart.

"It's okay," Urea told them. "I think the clothing might've been heavy to mislead us into thinking it would be cold. They do that sometimes. As you can see, it's pretty hot."

Indeed it was hot, and Jack wiped sweat off his brow.

"That was close," Lily sighed. "They almost got to us."

The others nodded and silence descended on them for a long moment. Then Urea said, "We'd better camp here for the night. Rest up a bit and recover."

The others nodded and pulled off their packs.

"So what's it like in District 7?" Rin asked as she unpacked her things.

"There's a lot of woods," Lily answered. "It's really beautiful. We've got all sorts of animals there: birds, deer, and any type of bug you can imagine. And we can go into the forest whenever we want because people go into the woods to cut down trees for extra pay. Sometimes we go just to hang out, but as long as the trees are okay, the Capitol doesn't bother us that much."

"But the Peacekeepers are pretty messed up," Jute said, finishing his unpacking and looking at them. "They're really strict about anything illegal. Our Head Peacekeeper's got some weird accent. That really old British accent, I think it's called? Something like that. But they're super strict. You get one inch out of line and its automatic whipping."

"Our Head Peacekeeper has a funny accent too," Kim said. "He says it's German, and I think he's right. In our District-"

"Quiet!" Urea hissed.

The others immediately went silent as Urea slowly rose to her feet, her eyes darting around the surrounding forest frantically. She cocked her head to the side, holding a finger up in the air in signal that she wanted them to remain quiet.

"Do you guys hear that?" she whispered.

Jack sharpened his hearing further, but still didn't hear anything. "What does it sound like?" he questioned.

Urea was silent. She didn't answer him for a long moment, frozen in her stance. She cocked her head even further and dropped her finger, turning slowly to face them. She glanced around them and Jack could see that she was listening to every little sound around her.

"It sounds like…" Her eyes widened. "Water."

* * *

><p><strong>Next Time...<strong>

_"Get up there!"_

_"KIM!"_

_"So yours is wire?"_

_"You're awake."_

"What happened?"

* * *

><p><strong>Yet another cliffhanger. A mild one, but still a cliffhanger. :D Sorry about that, it just kind of happens.<strong>

**IMPORTANT: I will be starting my very first year of middle school in about a week, and it'll take a while to get used to the adjustments. I'm not sure if I'll be able to update before then, but I know once school starts, the updates will slow down big time because I'll have to get used to the change.**

**Anyways, thank fore reading! Please let me know what you think!**

**PICKLES FOR THE WORLD!**

* * *

><p><em>This has been a word of wisdom from the Praetor of the First Legion of Jelly Crabs.<em>


	9. A Wall of Water

**Hey guys! Schwan here! Okay, life has been super hectic. Middle school is awesome, but it's so confusing at first! Eh. Anyways, I bought the DVD for the Hunger Games, so if anybody wants me to update soon, just tell me to watch it, and I'll get my motivation! Awesome movie by the way!**

**_IMPORTANT NOTICE!_: Alright, so I was thinking about doing a Mentor's Special Chapter for Katniss and/or Peeta and/or Haymitch maybe at the end of this story or in the sequel. I've got a poll up, so please vote on that. I think it'd be one to at least write one for Katniss! And since I've noticed that recently (I don't know if it's happened to you guys) but I've noticed that I can't vote on some. If you can't vote on my poll, just leave it in your review and I'll count that too!**

**Hope you like it!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games.**

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><p>Chapter 9<p>

A Wall of Water

"What do you mean it sounds like water?" Rin questioned.

"Just that!" Urea exclaimed, looking from left to right furiously. "It sounds like…waves."

Jack was listening hard, and now he knew what she was talking about. Indeed, in the far distance he could hear what sounded like waves. Not quite the ocean, but a rush of water. And it was getting closer.

Urea's eyes widened even more and she gasped. She started pushing them out of the clearing, shoving them through the sparse trees with slight fear shining in her eyes.

"What are you doing?" Jack yelled, twisting his head to look over his shoulder. "Our supplies!"

"Leave them!" she shouted, even though she was right beside him. "We can't go back! We have to get to high ground!"

"Why?" Rin asked as Urea left them to run on their own.

Urea was silent for a long moment before she said, "Can't you hear it? It's getting closer. A flood."

"A flood?" Lily asked incredulously. "But they just blew up half the arena!"

"My guess is they did that to draw attention to the mountain," Urea explained, continuing to run towards the said landscape. "Now they're trying to push everyone to the only high ground, which is the top of the mountain."

"So in other words, we'd better get ready to fight," Jack concluded.

Urea only nodded.

They were running up the mountain now, and making good headway. But that's when Jack looked back.

A wall of water was flowing towards them. It was gigantic, taller than the point of the mountain they were on now. And it was coming in. Fast.

"Hurry up!" Urea shouted, at the top of the pack now.

They all picked up their speed and were soon just far enough up the mountain to be safe. The wall of water slammed into the mountain just a hundred yards below them, and they stood there, gasping as the water swiftly flowed by below them.

**CRACK!**

It took Jack a moment to register the noise. It was loud, but it was certainly noticeable. A rock about the size of his head tumbled down the side of the mountain and plopped in the water with a splash.

Then Kim did the same.

The girl slid down the mountain on her back, screaming in pure fear. She splashed feet-first into the water, emerging a moment later, flailing. The water started sweeping her away.

_She can't swim, _Jack realized in horror.

"KIM!" Rin screamed, getting ready to jump in the water.

Urea beat her to it.

The girl bounded down the mountain without a moment's hesitation. She lunged into the water with barely any splash at all. She appeared again only moments later, but nearly a hundred yards away from where she had submerged. As the water swept her away, she started working her arms, speeding away at an incredibly fast pace. Between the flow of the water and her efforts in swimming, she was to Kim in the matter of seconds.

As Jack watched this happen he realized something. Twirling around, he yelled, "Rin! Get out an arrow and get ready to shoot!"

When Rin only continued to stare after Kim, he yanked an arrow out of her quiver. He pulled a roll of wire out of his pocket and stared at it for a long moment, remembering Haley.

_*******Flashback*******_

_Jack stared up into the sky, watching as white fluffy clouds floated by lazily. Someone settled down next to him and he glanced sideways to see a slightly grinning Haley lying next to him._

_"Y'know, sometimes I wish I was a cloud," the boy said wistfully. "Just floating along, letting the breeze take me wherever. Then I wouldn't have to deal with all of these things the Capitol puts us through."_

_Jack sent him a strange look and he laughed. Jack noticed something in his hand. It was the roll of wire he had retrieved from the Cornucopia. Haley sent him an inquiring look and he nodded at the wire in his hand. "Why do you carry that thing around with you all the time?"_

_Haley glanced down at the roll and laughed again. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."_

_"Shoot," Jack replied._

_Haley nodded, smiling slightly. "I got the habit from one of our victors."_

_"The one you told me about?" Jack questioned. "Beetee?"_

_Haley nodded, admiration shining brightly in his eyes. "Yeah. I used to meet him on the streets all the time, because I had to get up real early in the morning to get to school. Eventually he became a regular and we kinda became friends." He laughed. "It's kinda sad when your only friends are you older brother and a forty year old."_

_"Anyways, Beetee gave me a little lecture every now and then when we passed by each other. He told me to always have something of use by me. All of us in District 3 can make anything out of something. 'Whatever that something is', he told me, 'Always have it with you.'"_

_"So yours is wire?" Jack asked._

_Haley nodded. Then he looked down at his hand and held it out to Jack, grinning. "But I have a feeling you're gonna need it more than me, so why don't you take it? I've got an extra roll anyways."_

_Jack shot him a questioning look and he nodded encouragingly. Jack tentively took it and stuffed it into his back pocket._

_"Keep it with you wherever you go," Haley commanded. "That way, you'll always have something to use for whatever you need."_

_*******End Flashback*******_

Jack jolted out of his revere and quickly unrolled half of the length of wire. He wrapped a small part of one end and knotted it on the arrow before using the tip of the arrow to cut the length. Then he wrapped the other end tightly around his hand, cutting off his circulation.

Jack turned to Rin. "Rin!" he shouted above the roar of water. When she only continued to stare out at the waves, he shook her shoulders, and she turned towards him, tears sparkling in her eyes.

"You have to shoot this into the water!" Jack yelled, holding up the arrow for her to see. "They won't be able to get back on their own!"

Rin's eyes cleared as she found a purpose and she nodded firmly. She gripped the arrow and strung it into her bow quickly. She pulled back and shot into the water just as Urea grabbed hold of Kim.

The arrow arced up and back down into the water, almost ten yards in front of the spot where Urea grabbed Kim. For one desperate moment, Jack thought she missed, but reconsidered when the two were swept to that very spot moments later. Urea glimpsed the shining metal of the wire and grabbed onto the now-floating arrow.

Rin slipped behind Jack and wrapped her arms around his stomach. She instructed the others to do the same, and Lily got beside Rin, Jute right behind her. Jack heaved on the wire, and the others started pulling him backwards.

Urea held onto the wire for dear life, also keeping her death grip on Kim. She let the four of them pull her and the younger girl across the enormous flow of water back towards the mountain.

Then the wire snapped.

The metal curled back and lashed Jack in the check, cutting across his right jaw. All four of them fell backwards from the sudden lack of tension and Urea and Kim sped away in the water.

Jack leaped to his feet along with the others, only frozen and staring in horror as the two were swept away. Urea seemed to be talking to Kim, but she kept getting a mouthful of water.

Suddenly, Kim twisted around and climbed on Urea's back, wrapping her thin arms around the other girl's neck. She pressed her face in between her shoulders and hung on for dear life. Now both Urea's hands were free and she started paddling towards the mountain once more. She was swimming at an angle, _with _the current, but still towards land.

Jack, Rin, Lily, and Jute all rushed along the side of the mountain, trying to keep up with the two of them without tripping. Jack slipped once, but Rin managed to grab his arm and pull him back up. Rocks slid down the slope beneath them, plunging into the water below.

Finally, after what seemed like eternity but was probably only thirty seconds, Urea managed to get to land. As Jack and others scrambled over to the spot, Urea pulled Kim up onto solid land and collapsed beside her. They were both soaked and gasping for breath, with several bruises already forming along their arms and legs.

The four of them slid down beside them in a spray of rocks. Rin immediately launched herself at Kim, wrapping the girl in a tight embrace. She whispered her name time after time, over and over. Jack stared, realizing the two had become much more close than he originally thought over the last ten days. He could see now that Rin thought of Kim as her sister. From the very beginning, the two had melded well, and now Rin was crying her heart out in relief.

Jack broke his gaze away from the pair and knelt down beside Urea, who was still on her back, breathing hard. Their eyes met and they just stayed frozen like that for a long moment, with Jack trying to pull the answer out of her. Finally, Urea closed her eyes for a long moment and took one last deep breath. Then she opened her eyes again and climbed to her feet. Jack stood beside her.

They had another short staring contest before both Rin and Kim stood, still holding eachother close. Urea glanced at the group and opened her mouth to say something, but closed it again, her eyes widening. Without hesitation, she whipped out one of her knives and threw it. It whizzed past Rin's head and Jack turned to see it thump into the thigh of the District 10 boy.

He tripped and fell and the three other Careers raced towards the group. Jack drew two blades and Urea pulled out her remaining dagger, as well as an extra one. Rin notched and arrow in her bow, and Jute and Lily hefted their hatchets.

Jack and Urea charged forward together, Jute and Lily behind them and Rin shooting arrows from behind. The District 10 boy rolled away as the two groups clashed together. Jack went for the District 2 girl and Urea for the District 4 boy, Cole. Jute and Lily gained up on the District 2 boy and the fighting started.

Jack ducked as the District 2 girl swung at his head with her sword. He took a swipe at her exposed side, but she managed to block it and their blades slid off of eachother in a horrible screeching sound. She sliced at his thigh, but he jumped sideways, the blade barely missing his leg. He rolled as she sliced at his shoulder before coming to his feet and aiming at her ankles. She jumped over the attack and thrust at him. He jumped backwards and the two of them stood apart for a long moment.

Jack glanced to either side of him. To the left, the big bulky District 2 boy was managing to keep both Jute and Lily at bay. The three of them swung at each other, each of them like bulls in a china shop on the slippery rock slope. On his right, Urea and Cole were dancing around eachother in a wicked game of daggers, thrusting and stabbing, rolling and dodging. Both were almost he same skill level, but Jack could tell Urea was starting to win the upper hand.

Jack brought his gaze back to his own opponent, but noticed something behind her. His eyes widened a fraction as the now-standing District 10 boy threw a spear straight at him, the weapon zinging past the District 2 girl's head. Jack barely managed to slide left in time. He felt the spear swoop past his ear and he heard Rin yelp and scrabble in the rocks behind him. A moment later, there was a sickening thud of metal piercing flesh and Jack looked back.

Dead silence.

Kim stood there, eyes wide as she stared at the spear protruding from her chest. Rin was on her butt a few yards away from the girl, turned her way and also staring at her. Then Kim fell sideways and Rin scrambled over desperately, tears already leaking from her eyes.

Jack heard a revolting 'thunk' behind him and turned around again. Jute's axe found its mark and the District 10 boy toppled to the ground wordlessly.

Jack knew Rin was screaming behind him, but he couldn't hear her. Instead, his hearing betrayed him and only his sight remained. The District 2 girl rushed at him, intent on her prey. She slashed at him a few times and he barely managed to dodge before she swung out a leg and tripped him. Jack fell and tumbled down the slope, rolling head over heels before smacking the back of his head on a rock.

Everything went black.

…

Jack opened his eyes with a groan, his head pounding.

Sunlight filtered through a tall canopy and made its way onto the ground below. The soil itself was dark brown and wet. Birds chirped peacefully above him and bugs clicked back and forth along the ground. Jack was sitting against a damp tree, droplets of water landing on his clothes and head. He lifted up a hand to rub his forehead and smeared mud all over his face.

"You're finally awake."

Urea pushed out of a cluster of thick bushes and walked over to him.

"What happened?" he asked.

Urea nodded her head back at the foliage she had just emerged from. "You can go ask them. They're all just a small walk away. But it was cramped so we decided to keep you here, give you some fresh air. Come on. I'll show them to you."

Jack managed to climb to his feet, but once he was up, the world tipped and Jack swayed. Urea sighed and slipped an arm around his shoulder, forcing him to lean on her as she wrapped his arm around her own shoulder.

Urea all but dragged Jack through the bushes and into a thick stand of tightly woven trees. She ducked under a branch, bringing him with her, and they emerged into what looked like the perfect clearing. Trees formed nearly a perfect circle, with a few large boulders in random spot around the clearing. There was a small circle of rocks that could serve as a fire pit, and the proximity of the trees allowed no smoke to escape into the sky above.

Rin and Jute were both sitting on boulders beside the currently burning fire, staring into the flames absently. When Jack and Urea entered the clearing, both of them jumped up and instantly pulled out their weapons. When they saw who it was, relief filled their eyes and they both relaxed.

Rin walked over and replaced Urea without a word to Jack. She helped him limp over to another boulder and helped sit him down. Then she crouched down beside him.

"How do you feel?" she asked, her voice uncharacteristically soft.

"I've got a pretty bad headache," Jack answered. "But other than that I'm fine."

Rin nodded absently. "Good."

Lily emerged from the same space Jack and Urea had entered by just as Urea sat down on a boulder beside the fire. Lily spotted Jack and walked over to him, plopping down on the boulder on the other side of him.

"So you're awake."

Jack nodded, glancing around the beautiful clearing once more. After a long awkward silence, he brought his gaze back down to earth. "So what happened?" asked finally, dreading the answer.

The other four glanced at eachother meaningfully before Urea said, "We managed to fight off the Careers and they left. The water receded after they retreated and we headed back down into the forest. It was like the water renewed everything. All the trees were back and the smoke and ash was gone. We found this clearing and laid you outside. You've been unconscious for about five hours."

"What about Kim?" Jack asked, though he knew the answer already.

"She's dead."

Rin's whisper was soft, yet harsh, so filled with sorrow and anger that Jack physically flinched. He looked down at her and her eyes showed the same thing, tears again forming in her already red and puffy eyes.

"And I killed the District 10 boy."

Jute's voice was rough, but it also held emotions as well. His innocence had been wiped away, and Jack could tell he felt dead himself now.

Out of the corner of his eye, Jack saw Urea rub her eyes before standing. She uneasily shifted from foot to foot before she said, "I'll go check the snares." Then she left.

And the other four of them did nothing more than stare at the slowly dying fire until it grew dark.

…

**BOOM.**

**BOOM.**

**BOOM.**

"District 9 girl."

Lily slid down the tree and landed on her feet. No more needed to be said because they already knew whom the other two who had died in the flood were.

Without any more words, each of them gathered up the pine needles and tree leaves that they gathered earlier to serve as beds and curled up, each one set apart from the other, none of them wanting to talk.

Jack coiled on his side, but didn't go to sleep. He definitely wanted to; he was exhausted. But he knew he couldn't. Not yet.

He waited until he could here three sets of soft breathing before he came to his knees and crawled towards the still-burning fire. Rin was crouched beside it, the light from the flames throwing her back into shadows. Jack tapped her on the shoulder.

Rin whirled around, bow strung with four arrows, all of them red-hot and pointing straight at his head.

* * *

><p><strong>Next Time...<strong>

_"Don't worry. I'll take care of it."_

_"Seriously?"_

_"Don't eat that!"_

_"I'm done for."_

_"I have to tell someone. I can't let him do it...to anyone else."_

* * *

><p><strong>Whew. Glad to have that over with. That chapter was really hard to write.<strong>

**Anyways, dudes. Please check out my poll.**

**And no reviews last chappy! That made me a little sad, but let's try to shoot for at least one this time, okay guys?**

**Thanks for reading!**

**PICKLES FOR THE WORLD!**

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><p><em>This has been a word of wisdom from the Praetor of the First Legion of Jelly Crabs.<em>


	10. Shivering

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><p>Chapter 10<p>

Shivering

Jack froze on the spot, not even daring to breath as the metal arrowhead floated only a centimeter away from his nose.

Then there was the sharp tang of the string as Rin released the tension in the bow and pulled the arrows away, thrusting their points back into the fire. Jack stayed stiff for another long moment before relaxing and sitting beside her.

Rin said nothing, continuing to stare into the fire as the glowing arrowheads turned white.

"Rin?" Jack asked, just over a whisper. "What were planning to do with those?"

Rin flinched violently, looking guilty of something deep and dark from within the bowels of her imagination.

Jack's gaze dropped to the arrows in the fire. Could it just be coincidence, or was there really a reason that Rin had as many arrows as the other people still alive in the alliance?

"Rin."

Rin dropped the arrows in the fire, throwing up a flurry of glowing sparks as they landed in the bed of coals beneath. She stood and said, "I'm going to bed."

Jack reached out and gripped her wrist, preventing her from going any further. "Rin," he repeated.

Rin whirled and wrenched her arms away, fury burning in her eyes. "I said I'm going to bed!" she hissed venomously. Then she turned again, shoulders back, neck stiff, head looking straight ahead. She plopped to the ground just inside the firelight and rolled to her side, drawing her trench coat around her body.

Jack watched her for a long time. Finally he stood and started towards her, but a hand grabbed his shoulder, and he whirled around, getting ready to shout in terror.

Instead, he found himself face-to-face with Urea. "Don't worry," she whispered, so quiet that he could barely hear her, just a few inches away. "I'll take care of it."

"What?" Jack said in surprise, his eyes widening.

Urea nodded over his shoulder. "I know what's wrong with her," she said, still in a whisper. "I can snap her out of it."

"I'm not sure-"

"Just give me a chance," Urea interrupted him.

"…Fine," Jack finally relented.

With that, he huffed and made his way back to his sleeping spot on the muddy ground. He heard Urea move across the ground and go back to her sleeping spot. Confused, Jack kept his eyes open despite his weariness. A few minutes later, he heard Rin move back towards the fire, followed soon after by Urea.

Pretending to roll over in his sleep, Jack turned on his back so he could see the two girls. As he watched, Urea sat beside her, causing her to flinch. It was obvious to Jack that she dove right into it, instantly confronting Rin about her problem.

The two of them argued furiously for several minutes in quiet hisses and whispers before Urea said something and all the life seemed to drain out of Rin, her shoulders slumping. Rin whispered something and Urea nodded, replying in a similar manner. Rin's head snapped up and she stared at her, but Urea seemed to say nothing else on the subject because Rin lowered her head once more.

Finally, to Jack's utter surprise, Urea hugged Rin tightly in that girly manner he knew he would never understand. Then the black-haired girl stood and moved back towards her sleeping spot. As she passed Jack, their eyes met, and he knew she knew he had been awake the whole time.

Unsettled yet somehow satisfied, Jack rolled over once more and closed his eyes, almost instantly falling off to sleep.

…

The next morning, Jack instantly noticed the change in Rin.

He woke up to see her by the fire. The sun was just appearing over the horizon, lightening the dark sky. Now, instead of arrows, she had a stick with a crispy animal balanced above the fire.

Jack stretched and rolled his stiffed shoulders, yawning. He got to his feet and staggered sleepily towards her. He plopped down beside her and she glanced sideways at him.

Her eyes shined as she greeted, "Good morning!"

Jack blinked at her and answered, "Good morning…."

Jute awoke after the Jack and was the last one to do so. Lily returned from the forest from checking her snares, and Urea returned from washing up in a stream.

The five of them ate, with Rin keeping up most of the conversation. It took until Jack finished his second Animal-On-A-Stick (as Rin had dubbed them) for him to notice that Rin and Urea were sitting beside each other. Surprise jolted through him.

Throughout the Games, the two of them had always seemed to avoid each other. Jack couldn't figure out why, and they never seemed to have an obvious grudges, but now that he thought about it, they had edged around each other constantly.

Now, the two of them made an apparent effort to stay near each other, as if they could lose the other in a moment, which Jack supposed was true in a place like this.

…

It was what Jack estimated was just after noon when the sky darkened. Clouds gradually rolled over the sky, blocking out the sun. The temperature dropped slowly until Jack was forced to zip up his trench coat for the first time.

Jack felt the first flake land on the tip of his nose. A pinch of cold and then wetness let Jack confirm his observations. It was snowing.

As more white flecks dropped from the sky, the alliance gradually gathered in the clearing. There was no wind, and the storm wasn't a blizzard. But the flakes were huge, so the size made up for the small number.

"You've got to be kidding me," Rin said, lifting he hands to her sides, her palms facing upwards. "First a volcanic eruption, the n a flood, and now this? Are the Gamemakers planning for an apocalypse or something?"

Jack snickered, despite the situation, and Urea replied, "It was all in preparation for the next step. The eruption was designed to draw attention to the high point of the flood. The flood was designed to get the ground wet so the snow would build up faster.

Jack exchanged a glance with Lily, who said, "How do you know so much about how the Gamemakers think?"

Urea shrugged and then said, "We'd better get water from that stream nearby."

"Why?" Jute asked.

"We'll need as much water as we can get when it freezes over," Urea told him.

Jack and Lily exchanged another glanced, but they and the others followed Urea to the stream to fill their water bottles.

When they got there, they saw that the stream was just starting to freeze, so they all quickly filled their bottles before heading back to their camp.

…

Urea watched the retreating backs of the other four before turning to look down into the stream. Her reflections was distorted by the slowly running water making it look like someone else was staring back up at her from the water. Someone she knew.

_Mari… _Urea thought, her eyes stinging with approaching tears. _Is this how you felt?_

"Urea!"

For a moment, she had the fleeting sensation that the face in the water had called out to her. But the thought dispersed the voice called out for her again, behind her.

Urea furiously shook her head to clear her lingering thoughts. As she blinked back her tears, she angrily kicked the water, ruining the reflection.

"Coming!" she called back to Rin, heading for the clearing.

…

Jack growled and blew on the small pile of flames again, willing it to grow brighter and higher. Finally, after another five minutes of this, there was a quiet '_poof_' and the flames started to hungrily lick the logs he had stacked in a pyramid above the original pile.

Jack sat back, grinning. As Rin, Lily, and Jute gathered eagerly around the fire, he glanced around the clearing.

"Where's Urea?" He asked.

Rin shrugged. "She told me she had to go check on something, but she's been gone a while."

By now, the snow had started to build up. The ground was covered in an eerily silent white blanket.

_Snap!_

The four of them jumped at the seemingly loud noise and whirled around. Standing in between two trees was Urea, her eyes wide.

"What are you doing?" she hissed, rushing towards the fire. She scooped up a handful of snow and threw it atop the fire, dousing the flames.

"What are you-" Jack's voice was high and loud, and Urea cut it off by lunging towards him and putting her hand over his mouth. The two of them stood there for a long moment as Urea's eyes darted from one spot to another, searching. Jack and Urea's foggy breath mixed in the air as they remained frozen in that position, unmoving.

Dead silence.

There was a sharp '_crack!' _and the five of them jumped. To their left was the Career group, all of them grinning maniacally.

The District 10 boy almost immediately cried out and reeled backward. Embedded within his right shoulder was a dagger, which had just left Urea's hand.

Urea shoved jack in the opposite direction and the others made no arguments as they headed for the trees ringing the clearing. They burst through the closely packed branches, sending a spray of snow in the front of them. As they passed through the ring of tree, Urea came to a halt and whirled around.

Jack watched over his shoulder as Urea socked the District 4 boy in the face, sending his comrades tripping over him and tumbling to the ground. As Urea caught up with him, Jack could see a satisfied smile on her face.

The five of them fled until they found a second clearing, quite a ways away from the previous one. When they stopped, they all bent over and placed their hands on their knees, heaving. Jute reached down and scooped up a handful of snow. He was just about to shove it into his mouth when Urea smacked it away.

"Don't eat that!" she hissed, already catching her breath.

"Why not?" Jute said, anger evident in his voice.

"It's poisoned," she replied.

"How do you know?" Lily asked suspiciously.

Urea held up her right hand. There was a gash visible through he slashed glove. Urea leaned down and picked some snow up in that hand. When she did so, there was a hissing sound and Urea grit her teeth. The snow around her cut slowly dispersed until Jack could see the wound, steaming profusely.

"Ow," Rin declared.

Jute slowly closed his eyes and made a sign over his heart, though Jack couldn't tell exactly what. Then he opened his eyes again and said to Urea, "Thanks."

Urea nodded firmly and looked to the rest of them. "Look, I hate this a much as you, but we've got to lay down a few rules."

"Like what?" Lily questioned beside Jack.

"First of all, no fires." She held up her hands when four arguments arised. Then she explained, "I know it's cold, but the Gamemakers gave us the coats for a reason, and we're not going to freeze to death. The smoke only alerts the Careers where we are. It's like throwing up a flag and yelling 'look at us, please kill us now!'"

Jack snickered and she whirled on him, eyes accusive and cold. "It's not funny!" she snapped. "You could've gotten us killed!"

Jack held up his hands in a show of innocence. Why was she so angry?

Urea seemed to realize her anger was uncalled for as well. She sighed heavily and rubbed her forehead. She turned her face towards the ground and muttered something. Then she looked back up and said in a low voice, "Never mind. Sorry."

Her brow furrowed a moment later as if she was wondering why she had opened her mouth in the first place. Jack felt his eyes widen. He had never heard her so much as utter anything close to an apology.

Urea shook her head and continued, "Rule two: do _not _eat any snow. If you do, you'll die."

Her voice was deadly serious, and nobody laughed this time.

"Third: nobody leaves the alliance alone. If we get separated, all of us are going to die. But if we stay together, one of us has a chance to live. The only ones who _can _go alone are Jack and I."

Jack jolted in surprise. "Why us?"

"Yeah, why you?" Jute agreed, his voice indignant.

"Because," Urea replied. "I know I can take care of myself and Jack knows how to fight. So."

Her declaration left no room for an argument, and they all reluctantly agreed.

…

"Never mind. Sorry."

Urea furrowed her brow, trying to figure out why she had apologized. Something in the look on Jack's face compelled her to make it up to him. She _wanted _to be held responsible for the words.

But even so, she hadn't uttered that word ever since the First Day.

Urea shook her head, trying to clear it. _Forget it, _she told herself. _Figure it out later._

…

It was the second day of the storm, and clouds still dominated the sky, though the snow had ceased. By now, the snow had reached just above mid-calf, and it was a bit of a task just to get around. The temperature had steadily dropped, and Jack calculated it was under freezing by now. But the trench coats the tributes had been given before the Game kept them warm.

It was about noon when Jack found himself huddled with Rin, the two of them smashed together. They had their arms wrapped around eachother and they were sitting against the trunk of one of the pines around the new clearing. Lily and Jute were doing the same across the clearing, and to their right, Urea was sitting alone. Jack glanced over at her and then looked over at Lily and Jute.

Double take.

Jack stared at Urea for a very long time, trying to figure out what was wrong. It was at the back of his mind, but he couldn't figure out what was bothering him. Urea sensed his gaze and turned her head towards him, staring at him. Their eyes met.

Realization slammed into Jack.

He shot to his feet, completely throwing Rin off of him. As she began an accusation, he bolted across the clearing. He slid next to Urea, who stared wide-eyes at him. The others rushed over, uttering countless questions of curiosity and concern. Urea looked him in the eye. She knew that he knew.

So she made no effort to hide the next shiver.

Jack normally wouldn't have worried about something so trivial, but the state she was in caused concern to flare inside of him.

She had her arms wrapped around herself, her knees pulled up her chest. She shivered violently every few seconds and a storm of coughs would rock her body occasionally. She had her brow furrowed as if her head hurt and she couldn't seem to focus her eyes on anything other than Jack.

And her arms were bare. She only had her sleeveless shirt on.

"Urea," Jack said slowly in a tone even he didn't recognize. "Where's your coat?"

Urea smiled bitterly. "You idiot," she stated. "I lost it during the fight with the Careers, don't you remember?"

Jack's eyes widened as the memory came back to him.

_*******Flashback*******_

_Finally, after what felt like eternity but was only a few minutes, Jack felt a hand on his collar. Urea yanked him out of the combat and started running beside him. The two of the sheathed their weapons and the Careers chased after them. One attempted to grab Urea's trench coat collar, but she managed to slip it off as he pulled._

_The two of them outran the Careers and made their way into the remainder of the forest surrounding the volcano. The air was more clogged with ash here, but it did seem to have eased off over the last couple days._

_They found the rest of the alliance without much a problem. The group was making an awful lot of noise, with Rin pacing across the clearing, and Lily rustling up in the trees, and Kim shifting every now and then, and Jute talking to himself. When Jack and Urea arrived, the four of them rushed towards them with wide eyes of relief._

_"Thank goodness!" Rin exclaimed, looking the two of them over for wound. Then she said, "Oh…"_

_Jack looked sideways. Urea was scarcely covered with any clothing. Her trench coat was gone, leaving her in a T-shirt. Her pants were ripped through in several places and her boots were starting to fall apart._

"It's okay," Urea told them. "I think the clothing might've been heavy to mislead us into thinking it would be cold. They do that sometimes. As you can see, it's pretty hot."

_*******End Flashback*******_

"Why didn't you tell us?" Rin asked, a little angry. She began to slip off her coat, but Urea interrupted her.

"Forget it," she said, that bitter smile still there. "It's not just the cold."

She shivered again and Rin impatiently questioned, "Then what is it?"

"I did tell you the snow was poisoned, didn't I?" Urea said.

Jack put two and two together in an instant. "The only way you could've figured that out…" He trailed off, unable to finish the sentence.

Urea nodded. "The cold is only making it worse. I don't really have hypothermia or anything, but I might end up having it eventually. I was lucky I didn't eat any. If I had, I would've died almost instantly. As it is with the cut, I'm lucky it hasn't gone past my shoulder yet. I can feel it."

Everyone in the alliance exchanged looks with each other.

"Maybe I can find an antidote," Jute said. "We work on things like this in District 7 sometimes."

Urea shook her head as the bitter smile still remained. "The Capitol will make sure there's no antidote. I'm done for."

Dead silence.

"No," Rin demanded. "We'll look. We can at least try."

Urea chuckled. "Go ahead," she said. "But I highly doubt you'll find anything."

"Fine," Rin said, standing. The other three did the same and Urea looked up at them from the ground.

"Don't move," Lily ordered. "It'll slow down the poison and give us more time to find an antidote."

"I don't think I could even if I wanted to," Urea replied, holding up a shaking arm to show them what she meant.

"Fine," Lily said. "Let's go."

…

It was that night when they were all sitting around a fire. Urea had protested against their choice, but she had become increasingly weaker over the course of the day and had lacked the strength to do anything more than argue. As the sun traveled through the sky, Jack remained with Urea. She had become more somber as time went on, and it had come to a point where she couldn't seem to find movement at all. She had eventually fixed the problem, but she couldn't seem to stand no matter how hard she tried.

Urea, who had fallen into a fitful sleep, suddenly awoke with a flurry of strangled coughs. As the other glanced back at her to check her status, she weakly looked back at them. As her eyes met Jack's he saw something that looked close to tears in her eyes.

"Nightmare," she stated. They all nodded and turned back to the fire. There was a very long silence; the only sound was the wood crackling and popping in the fire. After a long while of this, Jack stood to go to his sleeping spot in the clearing, but her voice stopped him.

"Wait," she said, voice trembling. "Come here. Everyone"

Jack hesitantly obeyed and plopped down beside her, staring at her expectantly. The others did the same and gathered in a small circle around her. Though Jack could barely detect it, he had noticed something change in their small alliance over the past few hours of looking for a cure and finding none. Something powerful.

"Do you…remember what I said at the interviews?" Urea asked them painfully.

"Yeah," Jack answered, nodding. "About peace?"

Urea nodded. "I meant it. I never planned to get out of here, but I…wanted to tell someone before I died."

"Tell someone what?" Rin asked.

"To be free," Urea continued, seeming to not have heard Rin. "I have to tell someone. I can't let him do it…to anyone else."

"What do you want to tell us?" Jack asked, softly.

"About me," Urea answered. "I want to tell you and the rest of Panem about what happened to me. What the Capitol did to me."

Jack, Rin, Lily, and Jute all shared a glance.

"So I can just die. So I can just finally…leave."

"Tell us," Jack said softly.

She nodded.

And Urea began her story.

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><p><strong>Next Time...<strong>

_"Then the third Quarter Quell came."_

_"Is that how you got all of those scars?"_

_"Let's do it."_

_"Where's Jute?"_

_"Now!"_

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><p><strong>I know that last part was kind of messy. I apologize. Next chapter you guys finally get to find out who Urea is! Hopefully the next chapter won't take to long, because I've already got 3 pages of that typed up. And since I'm excited to finally get the secret out, I'll want to finish it really bad. <strong>

**Anyways, thanks for reading! Please let me know what you think and vote on my poll!**

**PICKLES FOR THE WORLD!**

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><p><em>This has been a word of wisdom from the Praetor of the First Legion of Jelly Crabs.<em>


	11. Rin

Chapter 11

Rin

"I suppose I should tell you about my family first," Urea said. "Since you two don't know. My parents are both victors."

Jack gasped and Rin said, "What?"

Urea sighed. "Look," she said. "you guys can't say anything while I'm telling you all this because then it'll take all day if you do, understand?"

They nodded solemnly and she continued.

"Like I was saying, my parents were both victors." She paused to cough weakly for several moments before continuing. "Gordon Triton won the 50th Hunger Games at age seventeen. Hannah Eliza won the 51st Hunger Games at age eighteen." Her voice was filled with venom was she said her father's name, but her tone turned soft when she said her mother's.

"It was all so perfect. Two prodigy District 4 victors, on after the other, now the same age. They hung around together a lot and they fell in love. When they turned twenty, they got married. After four years, they had a baby girl and named her Evelyn Triton. Everyone knew about it, about her. Everyone expected her to become a Career and carry on the 'tradition."

Urea continued talking as if this wasn't her life story, but someone else's.

"So Gordon and Hannah trained Evelyn to be a Career. When Evelyn turned eight, they had another girl and named her Urea. Three years alter, they had one more girl and named her Mari."

"My mother gave me this when I was really young, maybe four or five," Urea continued, fingering her necklace. "She told me to never give up, to always give it your best in life. She told me as long as I had this necklace, she would protect me, no matter what. It's the only thing I have left to remember of my real family."

"It was the 74th Hunger Games," Urea continued in a doomsday voice. "Evelyn volunteered at age seventeen, but she wasn't the only prodigy going in. Cato from District 1 was entering the arena too, and…" She paused and took a deep, calming breath. "Katniss Everdeen, the Girl On Fire, popped out of the woodworks of District 12."

Jack and Rin exchanged a glance. It sounded like Urea had a grudge against one of their mentors.

"It was the fourth night when Katniss Everdeen dropped a hive of Tracker Jackers on the Careers and killed my sister. She may not have been the best sister anyone has ever had, but we loved each other, and I looked up to her."

Jack and Rin stared at her.

"My family was in shame for weeks after the Game were over. The blinds were closed, the door was locked, and they wouldn't let Mari or I leave the house. Finally, the incident was forgotten and my parents started training me to be a Career. My mom was gentle even though she was a victor. She never seemed to get mad and she always had this happy, calm feeling surrounding her. And even though my father was stern, he wasn't mean or out of control. Between the two of them, they got me a long way in a single year."

Her voice dropped, laced with sorrow.

"Then the third Quarter Quell came. You guys remember that, don't you?"

Jack, Rin, Lily, and Jute all nodded. How could they forget something as horrible as that?

"For the 75th Hunger Games," Urea recited, as if the words had been imprinted on her brain. "In reminder that age does not matter in times of war, two tributes, a boy and a girl, between the ages of four and six, shall be chosen from each district to enter the Game with the original tributes."

Urea had tears in her eyes, and Jack swallowed hard. The face of stone he had come to know so well was crumbling right before his eyes.

"Mari was reaped alongside a Career tribute, and there was nothing I could do about it." Tears ran down her face and her voice was filled with sorrow. "They made it to the final eight before they were both killed by the District 2 boy."

"My mother changed after that," urea continued, her tone now childlike with sadness. "She was always staring into space, and she barely moved at all. I learned to cook myself, how to buy things at the market, how to protect myself from street side robbers, all at the age of nine."

"Then, one month after the 75th Hunger Games, on the day Mari's birthday would've been…my mother committed suicide."

The other four gasped and Lily said, "Bu- But everyone said that was an accident!"

Urea's body was racked with another series of coughs before she answered. "That's what the cover story was. Killed while training herself at the top of our house. Tripped on the railing and fell on the stone courtyard. Everyone sent us letters and gifts, but my father and I knew what really happened."

"A week later was the funeral. Almost all of the District 4 was there. She was always so nice to rich and poor alike, and everyone loved her. Then a week after the funeral was what I call the First Day."

"The First Day?" Jack repeated, his voice cracking with dread and anticipation.

Urea's voice had transformed into one of anger, and slight fear shone in her eyes. "My father came home late on night, and I instantly knew something was wrong. He was acting weird, stumbling, and he had a glass bottle in his hand."

"He was drunk," Jack realized.

Urea nodded, coughed a few time, and moistened her lips. "He, um…he told me to go upstairs, and he followed me. I thought he was going to tuck me into bed or something, but instead he took me to his room. Then he locked the door behind him and he just…started kicking and hitting me, calling me names. And I was only nine, I had no idea what was wrong with him."

Jack knew hi eyes were wide, his mouth agape.

"He knocked me onto the ground, and I landed next to the desk beside his bed. It had a picture of my mother on it, and I turned to look at it just as my father threw his bottle at me."

Rin gasped as Urea traced the scar on her face with her finger.

"if I hadn't looked at her picture, he would've blinded me, if not killed me. He came home drunk every night and dragged me out of bed, even if I locked the door. He's done it ever since. I found way to cover it. I put on makeup every morning before I went out, and when the effects were to visible, I'd excuse them as training accidents."

"Is that how you got all those scars?" Rin asked quietly.

Urea nodded.

"Scars?" Jack asked.

"When I wrapped her shoulder, she took her shirt off and she had a lot of scars on her back," Rin explained.

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" Lily gasped.

"I didn't know any better at first," Urea answered. "But by the time I turned twelve, I could see this wasn't right. I would try to tell people, but they would never listen. I mean, my father was one of the most renowned victors in District 4. He would never do that, you know? The only one who kept me from doing the same as my mother was Michael."

"Raymond?" Jute asked.

"He was my only friend," Urea said, and her eyes softened. "He was the only one I couldn't push away after my mother died. He was just so _stubborn_, and he was too innocent to see any flaws in anyone. But I never told him anything about what was happening between my father and I. I didn't want to put him through that."

There was dead silence as they processed her story. Then, before he knew what he was doing, Jack was crawling forward on his hands and knees. A moment later, he was holding Urea in a tight embrace. He heard her and the others gasp, and after a long moment, he pulled back

Urea stared at him and their eyes met. Jack felt affection and protectiveness that had been growing but lying dormant inside of him suddenly blossom. He decided in that moment, he _would not_ let her die, no matter what happened.

Jack moved away and she smiled a small smile at him, but it was the first genuine smile from her he had ever seen from her. The shell surrounding her had shattered, showing the real person trapped within.

"I've been counting the days since the First Day," urea continued, her voice now light. "I lost track after two thousand, about the time I turned fifteen. And since Mari died, I've been making a list."

"What kind of list?" Rin asked gently.

Urea look up and stared each of them in the eye. "I've been making a list of tributes who would've made a great change through Panem if they hadn't been reaped. A boy and girl for each district. I was waiting for two more." She looked up at Jack and Rin. "From District 12."

"Us?" Rin asked, pointing to herself.

Urea nodded.

"Well," Jack said, sitting back with a gigantic sigh. "I guess…I'd think the same of you too."

Urea's head snapped over to stare at him and a sad smile touched her face. Then she dropped her face back towards the ground and whispered, "Thank you."

…

As the night wore on, Urea fell into a fitful sleep, and Jack had a sickening feeling she wouldn't wake again if they couldn't find something to help her. She was burning up and taking short gasps, her skin coated in sweat. Despite her burning temperature, she was shivering, and her brow was furrowed. She was muttering as if having nightmares, and her pulse had become unsteady.

The other four of them, Jack, Rin, Jute, and Lily, gathered around their still-burning fire in the center of the clearing and stayed silent for a long time. Finally, Rin spoke up.

"We have to help her," she said quietly, her tone absolute as she stared into the fire.

Lily nodded and said, "I can't imagine living like that…"

"If I had the chance to get out of that, I would do anything too," Jack agreed.

Jute opened his mouth to say something as well, but was interrupted by a booming voice.

"Attention, tributes," Claudius Templesmith's voice echoed throughout the arena. "There will be a Feast at the Cornucopia tomorrow at twilight. While many of you may already be declining this offer, there is something each of you desperately needs. Think hard before refusing. Good luck, and my the odds be ever in your favor."

Each of them looked at each other and the understanding was evident.

"We have to," Lily said.

Rin nodded, "I _know _they'll have medicine for Urea."

"Not to mention," Jack added. "We lost all of our food during the flood and we can't find any berries or animals."

Jute was silent and the three of them looked at him. He nodded slowly but said nothing.

"I guess it's decided then," Jack said. "We're going to the feast."

…

Jack woke groggily the next morning. He had taken second-from-last watch, and Jute had been after him, but he had been forced to furiously shake the boy to wake him.

Now Jack sat up and rubbed his eyes. Fresh, cold air stung his dried eyes and he blinked rapidly until he could see. Nothing looked abnormal except for one thing, and it caused Jack to jolt awake.

He leaped to his feet and said loudly, "Where's Jute?"

Lily and Rin stirred and awoke a few feet away from him. He repeated his panicked question and the two of them instantly came to their senses. Rin just looked around, but Lily dashed throughout the clearing, looking for the boy.

Finally, Lily turned to Jack and Rin and said in a tone of disbelief, "He's gone."

"I knew something was up," Rin muttered. "He didn't say anything last night when the Gamemakers announced the feast."

"He didn't want to go," Jack realized. "So he left."

"That idiot!" Lily exclaimed. "What was he thinking? He'll get himself killed all alone like that!"

Jack rubbed his face with a hand. "This made our job harder," he said. "I know you're worried about him, Lily, but we've got to just keep going. We need to rest up for the feast tonight."

"But-"

"Lily," Rin said, laying a hand on the other girl's shoulder. "Jack's right. We have to keep going."

Lily's shoulders suddenly slumped. "Fine," she said quietly. "I just….don't know why he would've left. He told me he would stay with me no matter what."

"Were you guys friends back in District 7?" Rin asked.

Lily nodded. "For a long time," she replied. "We were in the same work group and everything. It was only coincidence that both of us got reaped."

A chill ran up Jack's spine. "Did you guys ever…do anything?"

Lily looked up at him, a frown on her face. "What do you mean?"

"Like, did you do anything to upset the Capitol?"

Lily's frown deepened. "Well," she started, her voice dropping low enough that the cameras couldn't hear. "We played pranks on the Peacekeepers."

"It can't just be coincidence then," Jack murmured to himself.

"What?" Rin asked.

"Nothing," Jack responded in a louder voice. "With Jute gone, we'll have to make sure we're extra rested up, so just try to go to sleep again. I can't think of anything else we can do until then."

Lily and Rin nodded at him.

…

"So," Jack said as he stomach growled noisily. "How many have we got?"

"Well, there's the boy and girl from District 2," Rin started. "Urea and the boy from District 4, Lily and Jute, the boy from District 11, and you and me."

"So we've got five people working against us and nine of us in all," Jack concluded.

"Jute isn't against us!" Lily exclaimed.

Jack looked her straight in the eye and said, "If I have to kill him to protect myself, then I consider him our enemy."

Lily stared at the ground for a long time before she looked back up at him and quietly said, "Okay."

"Well," Jack said, looking up at the sky. "We'd better get going."

He picked himself up off the ground along with Rin and Lily and grabbed his four discarded katanas. He strapped them all to his back as Lily picked up he hatchet and jammed it into her belt. Rin looped her remaining quiver of arrows over her shoulder along with her bow as Jack checked Urea's condition. She was even worse off than before, and her fever was only increasing.

"Come on," Rin spoke softly. "Let's go."

The three of them climbed through the forest, pushing aside brush and branches as quietly as they could. After a long half-hour, they found themselves at the edge of the forest, looking into the plain.

The Cornucopia remained in the center of the plain, gleaming in the dropping sun. In front of the Cornucopia was a long, thick pedestal, which seemed alien to Jack in this natural environment. Atop the table sat seven bags of varying sizes, marked with different numbers. One had a silver 2 on the side while two other bags both had 4 on them. Two had the number 7 on them and the other two had the numbers 11 and 12 on them.

Jack, Rin, and Lily glanced at each other, the realization in each of their gazes. There was one for both from District 2, meaning they were together. There was one for Cole and another for Urea, as well as two separate ones for Lily and Jute. Then there was one for the District 11 boy and one for both Jack and Rin.

Dead silence.

It lingered in the air as the world became still. Jack looked at Rin and Lily before nodding at them. They nodded back and Jack prepared to burst from the bushes surrounding them.

He halted when Jute and the District 11 boy rushed through the clearing side-by-side. The two of them dashed past the table. Jute snatched up the bag marked with 7 that was farthest to the right while the District 11 boy grabbed the bag marked with 11. The two of them ran to the opposite edge of the plain, Jute trailing slightly behind the District 11 boy.

"Jute!" Lily exclaimed in a quiet hiss.

Suddenly, the District 11 boy jerked backwards and collapsed to the ground, red liquid spraying out from his chest. Blood.

Jute slid to the ground behind him and rolled before shooting to his feet. He zigzagged, running as hard as he could. Then he disappeared into the foliage on the opposite side of the clearing.

**BOOM.**

"We can't wait!" Jack realized. "Come on!"

He sprinted for the table, Rin and Lily slightly behind him. He grabbed the bag marked for his District and Lily snatched up the remaining District 7 bag. Rin seized the left bag marked with 4, and the three of them turned to go back.

Jack ducked and a dagger whizzed past him. The three remaining tributes of the Career group dashed towards them with terrifying speed.

Jack unsheathed two of his katanas while Rin instinctively started firing arrows at the oncoming killers. Lily pulled her hatchet out of her belt and, alongside Jack, dashed forward. Jack went for the District 2 girl and Lily charged for Cole, the District 4 boy. The District 2 boy headed for Rin, but Jack knew she could hold her own.

Jack thrust forwards and the District 2 girl dodged around his stab. She slid to his right and slashed at his arm. He leaped back and tried to cut her hip. She twirled around the attack and thrust her dagger at his thigh. Jack deflected her blade and the noise of metal scraping against metal filled the air.

Jack ducked and dropped into a roll as she slashed at his head with her other dagger. He came up into a crouch and swept a leg out, knocking her feet out from underneath her. She collapsed to the ground and he stabbed downward with the full intent to kill. She rolled right and his sword buried itself into the ground. As he struggled to yank it out, she got to her feet and charged at him.

Jack finally pulled his sword out of the ground and skittered backwards out of harms way. When she lunged at him, he kicked her in the stomach, sending her flying back a few yards away. As she slammed to the ground a safe distance away, Jack turned away temporarily to see how Rin and Lily were faring.

Lily was barely holding off Cole, fighting with all her heart. She was on defense the whole time Jack watched her, which wasn't long, because Rin's fight caught his attention almost instantly.

Her remaining dagger flew from her hand as the District 2 boy knocked it away. He slashed her knees and her legs gave way. She looked up at the boy in front of her but did nothing else to try and defend herself.

Jack opened his mouth-

The District 2 boy slashed downwards.

"RIN!"

* * *

><p><strong>Next Time...<strong>

_"What's your name?"_

_"Just leave her alone, will you?"_

_"I have no other choice!"_

_"Get out of here!"_

_"I hope you win."_


	12. Jack

**Hey, guys! I know it took me forever to update. I'm sorry, but I really barely had time to do anything during basketball except on the weekends, and since I hit a really hard writer's-block, I didn't exactly get around to it then.**

**I still apologize though. It shouldn't have taken this long. Because of the huge wait and how patient you've been, I'm going to update again tonight.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 12<p>

Jack

_"Why are you all alone?"_

_ Ten-year-old Jack tentively lifted his head from his stare down with his tray._

_ Standing beside him, tray in hand, was a dark-haired girl. She was thin and lithe, and her smooth brown eyes sparkled, daring anyone to criticize her._

_ Jack glued his eyes back to his tray. "Cuz," he said quietly._

_ "Well, okay then." The girl sat beside him, a wide grin on her face. "I'm Rin!" she said, smiling at him._

_ Jack was silent._

_ "What's your name?" Rin prompted after a long, awkward silence._

_ "Jack," he murmured, keeping his head down._

_ More silence._

_ "So…what's your favorite color?"_

_ "Blue."_

_ There was once more another long silence before Rin said. "Is that natural?" She mawkishly pointed to his head, already adorned with its usual white spike of hair._

_ Jack hunched his shoulders, curling in on himself._

_ "Okay, okay," Rin said, glancing the other way before happily picking up her spoon. "If you don't want to talk about it…"_

_ She contentedly munched on her mashed potatoes, seemingly unaware to the stone silence surrounding Jack. They remained in this silence for the remainder of lunch time._

_ Finally, the bell rang. The two of them stood simultaneously. Jack threw away his tray and fled from the lunchroom without another word to her._

…

_ She came again the next day, and the day after, and the day after. Jack eventually came to the point where he expected her to come and sit with him. It would start as usual: with her asking him some random questions and him giving vague answers. Then she would go on to talk about her own experiences in similar situations, and Jack would scarcely speak a word._

_ Jack wasn't exactly sure how he felt about the whole thing. Of course, he didn't mind not talking, and he was happy to let her fill his lunch time with words of 'wisdom' as she called it. But he did prefer to be alone every once in a while, and the loud, repeated appearances of Rin drew more attention than he liked. He would make obvious attempts to push her away, but she just refused to back off._

_ He had gotten used to her after nearly a week of this, and though Jack was still fairly distant from Rin, he had come to like and admire her in a way. So when she stood up for him that day, there was no stopping the shocking choice he made._

_ He had already sat down at his usual table in the corner, quietly munching on a piece of bread. He was wondering when she would show up. She was late. Lunch had started fifteen minutes ago._

_ Jack figured she had gotten detention again. She had gotten into trouble before. Of course, Jack would wonder where she was on the day she was gone from lunch, and the next day she would chatter on about the unfairness and lameness of it._

_ But then he immediately wished she had picked another day to get into trouble, because he saw Merkley heading for him._

_ Merkley was a large, broad-shouldered girl who was several years older than Jack. She had stringy blond hair and a face that reminded Jack of an octopus. Many of the older children made sure to tell her so, but the younger kids dared not cross her, even by mentions of her name._

_ So Jack hunkered down into his seat when she slammed a palm onto his lunch table, surrounded by her cronies. They reminded Jack vaguely of the Career groups he saw on the Hunger Games every year._

_ "Hey, little man," she said, a nickname she had adopted for him nearly two years ago. "How's your lunch? Does it taste good?"_

_ What might've sounded like a simple question from another person sounded like a death threat coming from Merkley's mouth. Jack fought the urge to shiver and only looked at the floor._

_ A moment later, Merkley reached around him and picked up his unwrapped burger. She pulled it out of the tin foil and bit into it. She chewed slowly, as if examining the taste, before she grinned and continued to eat it._

_ "Thanks for the lunch!" she exclaimed, laughing loudly and turning away._

_ Jack didn't say anything and only continued to stare at the floor. That was, until a voice said, "What was that for?"_

_ Immediately, his head snapped up to stare at Rin, who had seemingly appeared out of nowhere. She was planted firmly in front of Merkley with her arms crossed, looking up at the much larger girl with a strong scowl._

_ "He actually paid for that, you know!" she continued. "If you want a burger, get your own, Octoface!"_

_ The kids at the nearby tables all turned slowly to stare at Rin. _No one _had ever dared to say that in front of Merkley._

_ "What'd you say?" Merkley asked, bringing her face close to Rin's, though she had to lean down nearly a half-foot to do so. "What'd you just call me?"_

_ Rin just grinned a mockingly sweet smile. "You heard me, _Octoface_."_

_ Merkley growled and threw the burger in Rin's face. The smaller girl easily dodged it before leaning left to look at Jack. "You okay?" she asked, blatantly ignoring the large threat standing right in front of her._

_ Jack nodded slowly, shocked with this turn of events._

_ "Hey! Pay attention to me!" Merkley shoved Rin backwards, and she caught herself on a chair. "You don't talk like that to me!"_

_ With that, she shoved Rin again. Hard._

_ Rin literally tumbled through the air. She somehow scrambled to her feet mid-roll and dodged the next shove. Merkley made several more attempts. Most of her attacks connected, while a few didn't, but Rin was getting a beating, and most of the cafeteria was watching as well._

_ Merkley finally caught Rin on the wrist, and while the smaller girl struggled to released herself, the older girl refused to let go. She raised a fist, and Jack instantly recognized that things were about to get much worse._

_ Jack realized this person, this girl who had only known him for a couple of days was protecting him. Despite all of his rejections, all of his stiff-arming, she continued to stick to him like glue. And even though he obviously couldn't care less about her, she was defending him._

_ Why?_

_ But then again, why not?_

_ Something snapped inside of Jack._

_ "Hey!" he shouted, stepping forward so he was in between Merkley and Rin. "Just leave her alone, will you?"_

_ Merkley let go of Rin and turned towards him. "Ho!" she cried, laughing. "Looks like the little man is bein' brave!"_

_ Then she tried to shove him too, but he slipped through it. She frowned at this and tried it several times over, but each time, he somehow dodged it. Finally, she got tired of his game and swung a fist._

_ Jack didn't see it coming, but he was quick enough to duck under it. When Rin realized what was happening, she tackled Merkley from behind, and the rest went to chaos as Merkley's gang joined the fight as well._

_ Jack wasn't exactly sure how it happened, but he found himself being held on one arm by a teacher, who was gripping Rin tightly with the other hand. He roughly pulled them down the halls and tossed them into the office waiting room. Grumbling about irresponsible children, he stalked into the principle's office and slammed the door behind him._

_ "You're really quick," Rin exclaimed quietly the moment the door closed. _

_ "Thanks!" Jack said. "You're really fast too!"_

_ Rin gave him a funny look. "What got over you anyway? I haven't heard you speak this many words in the week I've known you!"_

_ Jack blushed for a moment before he glanced at his feet and realized something. He grinned up at her. "I guess it's cuz I've never had a friend before. Not one like you, anyway."_

…

_ "Jackson Axdiez and Rin Heron. What am I going to do with you two?"_

_ Three years later, Jack watched the principle sigh and lean back in his seat. Jack glanced back down at his hand and continued to pick at his nails. Then he shot a look at Rin, who was sitting to his right, picking at a huge pimple that had been present in the center of her forehead for nearly a week and counting. When she sensed him looking at her, she grinned at him and winked._

_ "Starting yet another food fight," the principle continued. "What is this, the fifth one?"_

_ "Sixth, actually," Rin corrected._

_ "Sixth," he amended, not even bothering to scold her on interruptions anymore. He slapped their detention files onto his dark wooden desk and looked at them with yet another sigh. "I don't know what I'm going to do with you."_

_ "You could just let us off and then maybe we'd be good little children?" Rin said in a half-questioning tone._

_ The principle threw his hands into the air and practically shouted, "You've given me no choice! I hate to do this, but…" He reached into a drawer built into his desk and pulled out two slips of dark brown paper. Her signed a few things onto each slip before all but throwing them at Jack and Rin._

_ Jack caught it in midair and instantly recognized the insignia on the back. His gaze snapped up to the principle's face. "The mines?" he asked. "You can't send us to the mines!"_

_ "I have no other choice!" the principle repeated. "Rest assured, it's been done for disciplinary purposes before."_

_ "Yeah, on seventeen-year-olds!" Rin argued._

_ "Peacekeeper!" the principle called._

_ But Jack and Rin were frozen, and all they could do was stare at the principle while the Peacekeeper dragged them out the door._

…

_ Fourteen-year-old Jack wiped his brow and huffed, sweat rolling down his face._

_ "Is it just me, or is it hotter down here than usual?" Jack asked the men and women around him._

_ "Yeah, sure is," Rin replied, mirroring his action of only moments before. She furrowed her brow. "You think everything's okay?"_

_ Before Jack could respond, one man said, "Of course it's okay. Just a little exhaust from all of the machinery is all." He grinned cheerfully at them in an attempt to lighten up the mood and took Rin's sack of coal, swinging it over his shoulder. Then he grunted and let it drop back down to the ground. "Good gracious, girl!" he exclaimed. "What have you in here?"_

_ Rin blinked at him. "Coal."_

_ "Sure it's not gold?" he questioned, peering inside the sack. "It weighs a ton!"_

_ "No, it really is c-"_

_**BOOM!**_

_And in one moment, Jack's world went to chaos._

_ His mind couldn't keep up with the calamity around him, and he ended up moaning under piles and piles of rock, his entire body on fire. Heat still danced across his skin, and he struggled to breath in the thick, dusty air._

_ He could only lay there unmoving under the pounds of stone for a long time. Finally, there came a scratching sound above him, and a few minutes later, light finally appeared._

_ Rin's head popped into the opening. Her eyes were red and puffy, her mouth covered in a handkerchief. She peered down at him through the small hole she created, and upon seeing him, swiftly proceeded to shove the rest of the rocks off of him._

_ She helped him to his feet and pretended to dust him off, and though Jack was still in immense pain, he smiled the tiniest bit at her._

_ Without a word, she tugged him gently along with her until they came to the elevator shaft. Part of the left side had caved in, but when the elevator returned with a single Peacekeeper within, the doors opened without trouble, and Rin and Jack scrambled in._

_ The doors remained open for the next ten minutes, and several other miners stumbled in with them, some injured, some not. Rin and Jack were lucky enough to be among the few of the latter group._

_ Finally, the Peacekeeper hit the lever and the elevator zoomed back up. The doors opened with an impossibly cheerful 'ding' and sunlight poured in. Smoke puffed out with Jack, Rin, and the other miners as they gushed out of the doors into a crowd of waiting people._

_ Jack and Rin's families were not there. They would not hear of the mining accident until midnight, by which time the two of them would arrive home and tell them so. But until that time, the two teens would stand in front of the elevator and watch as their friends came out. They would be the last ones to leave, and they would stay intertwined hand-in-hand the entire time._

_ "Aw, look," one miner who had been reunited with his family murmured genuinely. "A happy cute couple."_

_ Neither Jack nor Rin looked at him, but they did tighten their holds on each other's hands._

_ Because they both knew this was a love far deeper and far greater. This was the love of a friendship much stronger. This was the friendship of an inseparable brother and sister._

_ And it would always stay that way, no matter what._

* * *

><p>As Rin fell to the ground, a darkness full of rage descended over Jack like a thick blanket. He had no control, nor any idea of what was happening.<p>

He drew back his right arm, katana in hand. He stepped forward, then threw his sword. It arced towards the District 2 boy, spinning in the air, the sun glinting off of its shiny surface.

Then there was a sickening wet crunch and Jack's sword slammed into the side of the boy's head point-first. The boy's neck snapped to the side and blood sprayed from the wound. He collapsed to the ground, lying side-by-side with Rin.

_Rin._

The violent darkness lifted, and Jack's cogs started turning again. Despair crushed down on him, but it barely computed before Jack felt a sharp prickling sensation between his shoulders.

Jack shied to the right, and instead of the blade, the hilt of the District 2 girl's dagger slammed into his head instead.

Jack fell to the ground as pain reverberated through his skull. His vision flickered as his head started pounding and blood trickled into his ear.

**SNAP!**

White flitted across Jack's vision and all sensation abandoned him for one split second. He senses returned and someone pulled him to his feet.

Then Lily's face was floating in front of him. She pressed something into his hands and shoved him backwards, shouting something.

**SNAP!**

Sound suddenly returned and Jack heard her say, "Go! Get out of here! I'll hold them off!"

Something in Jack's failing mind told him there was something wrong with this situation. He opened his mouth and weakly started, "But-"

"No!" Lily interrupted fiercely. "Don't argue! Just run!" And she turned him forcefully and shoved him back into the forest. Jack could do nothing to resist and he went with her push.

**BOOM.**

** BOOM.**

_Rin._

Unaware of time or distance, Jack stumbled through the forest, completely oblivious to where he was going.

**SNAP!**

He reeled, and his vision flashed white as pain spike through his head. But still he ran. Branches whipped his face and arms, scratching at his skin.

**SNAP!**

There was another flash of light, and Jack stumbled and fell. He scrambled back up and kept running. Chills crept through his body as his vision shifted and blurred, shifted and blurred. He broke into thin air and spotted Urea propped up against a tree, shivering. He realized he was in the clearing and moved towards her.

**SNAP!**

Jack's legs gave out and his left shoulder slammed into the snow-covered ground. He slid, snow piling up in his wake. When he lifted his head, he found himself right beside Urea.

He pushed himself off the ground with trembling arms and came to his knees. He bent over Urea and unscrewed the lid to the white container in his hands. He grabbed her hand and carelessly ripped off her glove.

**SNAP!**

Jack's vision tunneled and blurred before returning to normal. He recovered his senses to find that the container was now upside-down in the snow. He scooped it up as quickly as he could, relieved to find the clear gel within was thick enough that it hadn't spilled. He grabbed her hand again and turned her palm towards him. He shakily dipped a finger into the gel and spread it over the cut.

**SNAP!**

Jack tipped over and carelessly let the container drop to the ground. He managed to get on all fours and started crawling towards the center of the clearing. His vision shifted and blurred once more and the trees around him seemed to shatter into a million pieces. His eyes focused on the burned pile of wood in the center of the clearing and the trees once more became intact.

**BOOM.**

**SNAP!**

…

Jack opened his eyes and painfully shifted his arms. He sat up with a groan and looked around himself. He was in a clearing surrounded by snow-covered trees. The clearing itself was trampled and there was a pile of burnt wood in the center of the clearing, still steaming in the frigid morning air.

Jack got to his feet. A dizzy spell slammed into him for a moment and he leaned against a nearby tree. The wooziness soon passed and he once more glanced around himself as realization settled in.

_What am I doing in the middle of the woods? _He thought as panic started to bubble up within him. _How will I get back over the fence? How will I get back to my house? I only know my part of the District!_

Then his gaze landed on a black-haired girl sitting against a tree across the clearing. She was sleeping peacefully, and she was wearing only a sleeveless shirt, pants, and boots in the cold air.

_Who's she? _Jack thought, wondering why she was way out here with those kinds of clothes on.

Then it hit him.

Volunteering. The Games. The alliance. Haley. Jute. Lily. Urea.

_Rin._

Despair crashed over Jack like a roaring torrent. In his blinding sorrow, his mind automatically made a powerful decision.

Jack scrambled towards Urea. Within seconds he was next to her. He saw a pit in the snow where he had slid and noticed the rocks sticking out. Only then did he notice his trench coat: shredded at the shoulder and the skin underneath burning and coated with dried blood.

Jack checked Urea's pulse to find it going strong. She was no longer sweating and her breathing had become steady. Her face was peaceful and Jack smiled briefly before turning his back on her.

"I hope you win," he whispered.

Jack walked back towards the center of the clearing and restored the fire in less than a minute. He dragged Urea next to it before heading back to the edge of the clearing, where he would be visible if Urea woke up, but he wouldn't give her an instant heart attack.

Jack kneeled in the snow and unsheathed one of his katanas. He dipped his head and turned the point of his sword towards him, his hand wrapped around the butt of the hilt. He touched the tip of his blade to the spot over his heart and took a deep breath.

Rin was dead.

All he had strived for in these Games, all of their shared memories, all of their efforts to protect their younger siblings; they had all gone to waste. Jack was done. The reaping of his little sister and the death of Haley had been enough, but Rin was the last straw. He felt as if he would lose his mind if this continued. All was lost to him. Jack was done. He wanted to just leave, to just get away from all of this pain like Urea had wanted.

He closed his eyes. He pulled his arms out, then thrust downwards into his chest with all his might.

Blood splattered everywhere and pain was all Jack knew.

* * *

><p><strong>Next Time...<strong>

_"What's your name?"_

_"I will. I promise. For you."_

_"Mari Triton."_

_"Dad? What's wrong?"_

_"Please. Don't."_

* * *

><p><strong>Please let me know what you think as always! I'll be updating that next chapter tonight around 5!<strong>

**PICKLES FOR THE WORLD!**

* * *

><p><em>This has been a word of wisdom from the Praetor of the First Legion of Jelly Crabs.<em>


	13. Urea

**Vote on my poll please! It's still on my profile!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 13<p>

Urea

"_I volunteer!"_

_ Nine-year-old Urea roared at the top of her lungs along with the rest of the crowd. Her little heart soared with pride as she watch her big sister step onto the podium, a huge grin on her face. Their eyes met and her sister's grin widened even further. She winked at her and Urea raised her voice even louder._

_ "What's your name?" the escort asked, tilting the microphone towards her._

_ Her grin widened to unbearable limits. "Evelyn Triton," she said._

_ "Well, congratulation, Evelyn!" the escort exclaimed excitedly._

_ The crowd cheered even louder until the escort finally put a stop to it, putting his hands up until everyone quieted. Then he walked over to the boy's bowl and pulled a slip out…_

Who cares who he is! _Urea thought defiantly. _My sister's gonna win no matter what!

…

_ Urea burst into the room before her mother and father and ran straight into her sister's arms. Evelyn raised her up and spun her around for a long moment before putting her down. Urea was breathless._

_ Evelyn hugged her father and mother before she got on her knees to hug little Mari, who giggled and whooped. Then she stood back up, back straight, face set in a determined smile._

_ "I'm ready," she said._

_ Urea watched as her mother let loose a sudden torrent of joy-filled tears and her father revealed one of his rare proud smiles. "You are," he said, clapping her on the shoulder. "You are!"_

_ "Hey, big sis," Urea said. "When will you be back?"_

_ Evelyn turned toward her and crouched next to her. "I don't know," she said. "But probably in two weeks or so."_

_ Urea nodded happily. She knew her sister was about to become famous. "Win!" she demanded._

_ Evelyn grinned and hugged her tight. "I will. I promise. For you."_

_ "All for me?"_

_ "All for you."_

…

_ Urea sat staring out the window, watching the snow fall to the ground, blanketing the world in white. Clouds engulfed the sky in gray puffy batches, restraining the sun from reaching the Earth._

_ It had been four months since her big sister had left. She hadn't come back. Her mother said she never would. But Urea knew that. Evelyn had lost._

_ She had broken her promise._

_ Urea shot up from her seat behind the window, needing something to do. She padded over to her desk and pulled out her drawing pad. She flipped it open to a random page. The drawing she saw wasn't pretty._

_ It was a depiction of that night._

_ A cloud of black dots floated around her big sister as the others fled, refusing to help her. The Girl on Fire was in midair, jumping out of the branches after she had cut down the cloud of dots._

I hate her, _Urea had decided that night. _I hate her more than anyone.

_"Urea! Time to train!"_

_ Urea jumped at her father's voice and stuffed her drawing pad back into the top drawer of her dresser. She turned towards the door and straightened her back, putting on her poker face._

_ Then she bounded down the stairs, ready to face the world as a career like her sister._

…

_ "For the 75__th__ Hunger Games, in reminder that age does not matter in times of war, two tributes, a boy and a girl, between the ages of four and six, shall be chosen from each district to enter the Game with the original tributes."_

_ As she listened to the escort's voice, Urea could tell even he was disgusted by this turn of events. There had been rumors that this Quarter Quell would involve victors, but they had quickly dissipated and this new decision had been announced._

_ Without his usual happiness, the escort made his way towards the two girl's bowls. He pulled a slip from the big bowl, then another from the smaller bowl. First, he read the name from the large bowl._

_ "Isle Hartley!"_

_ "I volunteer!"_

_ Heads turned to look at the volunteer, a sixteen-year-old with blonde hair and a kind face, especially compared to that of the usual career. Shock rippled through the crowd. Who would want to volunteer for a Game like this?_

_ As the girl walked up onto the stage, the escort waved the microphone beside her face. "What's your name?" he asked._

_ "Jinni Victor."_

_ "Congratulation, Jinni." he said, his usual enthusiasm lost in a wondering voice._

_ Jinni only nodded._

_ The escort slowly turned back towards the crowd and cleared his throat nervously. He unraveled the slip of paper. The crowd held its breath. You could hear a pin drop._

_ "Mari Triton."_

_ Dead silence._

_ A breath whooshed out of most of the crowd, but Urea's world had ceased spinning. Darkness faded the edges of her vision as she watched her little sister, little Mari, step up onto the stage, shaking._

_ She opened her mouth to scream, just to scream, but nothing came out. She could do nothing but watch. She couldn't volunteer: she was too old. She couldn't volunteer to go with her: she was too young. What could she do?_

_ Nothing._

…

_ Urea met blue eyes. They locked with her gaze. The stare-down began._

_ As Urea's mother cried in the corner, holding Mari in her arms, Urea stared at the volunteer. What was her name? Jinni?_

_ The girl's family and Urea's father looked on as they stared each other down, unyielding. Urea's mother's sobs continued in the corner, the only sound in the empty air._

_ "Bring her back," Urea said, fiercely._

_ "I will," Jinni replied, sensing this girl six years younger than her knew exactly what she would be going up against._

_ "Promise," Urea demanded._

_ Jinni was silent._

_ "Promise!" she shouted._

_ "I promise," Jinni replied. "I promise. For you."_

_ "Not for me," Urea said, pointing to her little sister, gripping her mother like her final lifeline, which in a way, she was. "For her."_

_ "I promise, for her," Jinni amended._

_ "Don't break you're promise," Urea growled, a demon from Hell itself._

_ "I won't."_

…

_ Urea stared at the coffin, feeling nothing. She was numb. Her emotions had abandoned her, just as her mother had._

_ It had started with Mari. After Jinni broker her promise, after she made the fire and lured the District 2 boy to them, he killed her. He killed Mari. He killed the rest. He won. That monster won._

_ Then her mother left too. She did it on her own. The officials tried to convince her it was an accident. She had been training on the roof and fell to the concrete below._

_ Urea knew better._

_ Her mother was a victor. She had won the Hunger Games, against all odds, against twenty-three other teens in their prime, some of them careers, her mother had won. She was a survivor. She wouldn't have died unless it was of a physical condition._

_ Or if she had wanted to._

_ It was no accident. Urea knew that. So did her father._

_ She looked up at him. Like her, his face was set in stone. It was neutral, not showing any emotion or giving any of his thoughts away. He was a career victor, through and through._

_ Some would call them cold-hearted. Some would call them too shocked to cry, with two deaths in a quick succession. Some would call them a true career family, trained to never mourn the death of a human, even a loved one._

_ But they were simply what was left of the Triton family._

…

_Crash!_

_Urea jumped at the noise. It echoed across the house, as loud as a gunshot. It sounded like wood splintering, maybe the front door breaking._

_ Urea's heart sped up at the thought of a break in. Sure she was training to be a career, even harder than before after the Quarter Quell, but she was still just a kid. She didn't think she could stand up to a thief._

_ Trying to quiet her hectic breath, Urea snuck down the stairs and peeked around the corner of the staircase. When she saw who it was, she immediately calmed, chiding herself for her overactive imagination. She hopped down the last step and grinned at her father._

_ "Dad!" she exclaimed when she saw the door on the floor beside him. "Why'd you break the door?" She was scolding him, playfully of course._

_ "Couldn't get in," her father grunted slowly. He stumbled across the kitchen, bottle in hand. His eyes were half-lidded and he couldn't seem to focus his gaze on anything._

_ As he passed by Urea, she wrinkled up her face and pinched her nose. "Dad!" she said. "Why do you smell so bad?"_

_ Her father turned towards her. "Go to bed," he commanded._

_ Urea gaped at him. "Huh? Why? It's only nine!"_

_ "Go to bed."_

_ Urea knew that tone. It meant there was no arguing. There was no debating and no truce. So Urea obeyed and headed back up the stairs, preparing to count sheep._

_ A few moments after she had dug her pajamas out of her drawer, her father tromped loudly up the stairs behind her. He was unusually clumsy right now. Most of the time, he would come up their stairs without a sound. It was his career instincts._

_ Instead, her father crashed into the room like a bull in a china shop. He slammed the door behind himself and turned towards Urea slowly. His eyes were much more clear than they had been moments ago downstairs. Wide-awake and alert, her father stepped towards her._

_ "Dad? What's wrong?"_

…

_ Urea double-checked for any bruises she might have missed. She used more make-up this morning than she usually did. It seemed thirteen really was an unlucky number. This birthday had been worst than most. It had taken her days to recover._

_ Urea dashed downstairs and tiptoed through the living room, staring at her father to make sure he didn't wake up as she was passing through. He probably wouldn't: he had been really drunk last night, but it never hurt to make sure._

_ Urea quietly shut and locked the door behind her. Then she bounded down the steps and started jogging towards the Training Center. Her breath steamed in the frigid air and the snow stung her face as she ran, but eventually she started warming up. By the time she had made it to the Training Center, she was huffing and sweating._

_ She opened the door and took off her boots. Then she pulled off her jacket and her pants, leaving her in only a long-sleeve shirt and shorts. She placed her clothes on the last unoccupied hook, right beside all the other sets of clothes, and headed into the Training Room._

_ The noise immediately clamored in her ears. Teens cried words of encouragement or taunts at each other as others grunted, egging themselves on. Some called greetings to others above the din and trainers shouted praise or reprimands to their students._

_ Urea padded over to the weight-lifting station. She started with twenty pounds on each side and started lifting. She was only waiting for a short matter of time before the storm that she fully expected came._

_ "Hey, Urea," blond-haired and blue-eyed Tasha said, leaning against the bar, surrounded by her pack. "How's life?"_

_ Urea knew she shouldn't say anything. She usually didn't, but she couldn't resist the great opening her 'rival' had just supported her with. _

_ "Better without you."_

_ Tasha frowned as a laugh echoed from the right of them. It was in the bench-pressing station beside Urea, from a career who loved to make jokes at other people's expense._

_ "Really?" Tasha sputtered, looking for something to reply with. "Not last time I checked. Didn't you score a C on your last test? And you weren't even here a couple days ago to take the most resent."_

_ Urea didn't reply to that._

_ "I think I know why you weren't here yesterday," she continued, encouraged by Urea's silence._

_ "Why?"_

_ "Isn't that he day your…_legendary _mother died?"_

_ Urea let the weights clatter back into place, letting them go and nearly smashing her head in the process._

_ Tasha saw the opening and took a stab. "It seems like that "three of the family die in a quick succession" really is true. It was so 'heartbreaking' for our District."_

_ Urea shot up and stood, whirling so that she was nose-to-nose with Tasha. "Don't you dare talk about my family," she growled._

_ Tasha leaned forward, almost touching. "What are you gonna do about it?"_

_ Urea reared back and threw a punch forward, but a hand from behind caught her fist. She looked behind her, ready to snap at the person who dared to stop her in her revenge. Instead, she found herself glaring at the Head Trainer Lily Henson._

_ "If you have something to settle," she said. "Do it in the ring."_

_ "Fine," both Urea and Tasha spat._

_ Careers lined up around the blue mat with a large white ring painted on it. This was a fight they had been waiting to see for a while. Urea and Tasha stood in the circle, facing each other with hate-filled glares._

_ "Start!" Lily cried, dropping her raised hand._

_Urea immediately barreled towards Tasha. She grabbed her midsection and tackled her to the ground. Tasha cried out and rolled until Urea was on the bottom. She kneed her stomach, knocking the breath out of her. She punched Urea in the nose and pain flared through her head, but she rolled backwards. Tasha cried out as Urea locked her legs around her the two of them switched positions once again._

_ Tasha managed to throw Urea off. She went skittering across the circle until she was at the edge, waiting for Tasha. The other girl charged toward her. Urea grabbed the back of her shirt and used her momentum to launch her out of the circle._

_ Tasha landed on the hard concrete floor with a loud thump, almost crashing into a few trainees who just barely managed to leap out of the way._

_ Urea walked out of the circle in the same direction, planning to go home. As she slipped on her jacket, sweats, and boots, regardless of her bloody nose, Tasha stomped over. A lean boy with short brown hair and dark blue eyes soon overtook her. As he passed, she stopped and stared dreamily at him for a moment, falling behind him._

_ "That was short," the boy said, leaning against he wall beside her._

_ "Thanks, Raymond," Urea grumbled. "It's only thanks to you it didn't happen earlier."_

_ Raymond raised a brown eyebrow. "Is that an insult?"_

_ "No, it's a praise, and you know that," Urea said, turning toward him with a small smile that they both knew would only be directed towards him. "Thanks to you, she didn't get to me when I first came here."_

_ "I know," Raymond said, giving a thumbs-up to himself. "Yay me."_

_ Urea's smile turned a little sad. "Yay you."_

_ Urea finished changing and trudged outside without another word to him. Stubbornly, he followed her after quickly slipping on his own jacket. Neither of them spoke as they walked side-by-side back to her house. They didn't need to._

_They both knew the way, and though Urea wasn't exactly eager to head back home, she sure wasn't willing to hang out here in the cold._

_ Finally, they arrived on Urea's elaborate porch, and when the two of them stopped to face each other, Urea spotted the almost invisible look of longing Raymond shot towards Urea's house._

_ "You'll get it someday," she told him. He looked at her, noting that she knew what he had been looking at._

_ "You sure about that?" he asked, eyebrow cocked._

_ "Bet on it," Urea replied._

_ He grinned lopsidedly at her before suddenly frowning. Before Urea could stop him, he reached out and gripped her chin, turning her face to the side. Finally, he said, "Urea, how did you get that bruise?"_

_ Urea inwardly cursed. She had missed__ one._

_ "Training."_

_ "No," Raymond said, his expression turned all dark now. "I trained with you all day yesterday, and you came home late. I know. I walked you here. You're lying. What really happened?"_

_ Urea sighed and held up her hands, palms out. "Fine, you caught me," she said, looking at him exasperatedly. "I was training by myself last night in my room. I took a bit of a spill."_

_ Raymond stared at her for a second before laughing loudly. Then he hugged her quickly and murmured, "You work yourself to hard."_

_ With a quick wink and wave, he bounded down the steps and dashed back to the training center._

_ Urea smiled the tiniest bit at his childish antics. She had thought of telling him before, but she had soon realized that by telling him about her messed up life, would only do the same to him. He had an immature aura about him that screamed 'innocent', and Urea was everything but innocent._

_ And though Urea knew he'd be there for her, she just couldn't bring herself to obliterate that innocence._

…

Jack's eyes shot open and he let out a sharp cry as both his arms burned with overwhelming pain. His vision blurred and his head span for a very long moment before the pain in his arms disappeared and his mind and vision cleared.

Jack looked sideways stiffly, and his eyes widened.

Urea was on her knees beside him, her right hand tightly gripping the blade of his katana, which hovered inches away from his chest. As her hand dripped blood, staining the snow below, Jack noticed a look of utter pain and sorrow. The pain was not the physical pain of her hand, but an emotional pain that went much deeper and could never been healed. In fact, she didn't even seem to notice the huge gash the sword had created on her palm.

"Don't," she said, her voice that of a broken child's. "Please. Don't."

Jack looked into her eyes for a long moment before giving in and dropping his katana to the ground. He buried his head in his hands and began to sob uncontrollably. Tears seeped through his fingers and joined the snow on the ground.

Urea wrapped him in a hug, her own tears escaping her eyes. Jack soon felt himself returning the hug, still sobbing. Their warmth mingled together and pushed the cold of the snow away, as well as the terror of the Hunger Games. Their hitched breath steamed in the frigid air, while their tears hit the snow and seemed to freeze almost instantly. Their sobs echoed across the silent forest.

So the two of them lay in the snow, and together Jack and Urea cried themselves to sleep.

* * *

><p><strong>Next Time...<strong>

_"I can't believe this."_

_"And what day is that?"_

_"Funny."_

_"This is it."_

_"Are you ready?"_

* * *

><p><strong>I really wanted to show the past of the characters, because to me, that's important. I'm sorry these last few chapter haven't really moved the story along a whole lot, but I felt the pasts were important to your understanding and the development of the story itself.<strong>

**Anyways, as always, please review and let me know what you thought! Let's shoot for two reviews, kay guys? **

**PICKLES FOR THE WORLD!**

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><p><em>This has been a word of wisdom from the Praetor of the First Legion of Jelly Crabs.<em>


	14. Because I Loved Her

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games Trilogy.**

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><p>Chapter 14<p>

Because I Loved Her

When Jack woke up, it was to a world too cheerful for his situation.

He sat up with a groan, rubbing his throbbing head with the heel of his hand. He opened his eyes and glanced around the clearing, trying to regain his bearing in a world much darker than it had been a day ago.

He was sitting on the edge of the clearing, underneath the protective branches of a pine tree. Birds chirped above his head and water droplets fell around him, sparkling in the sunlight.

Wait. The _sunlight._

Jack glanced at the sky to see not a single cloud as far as his eyes could see. It was only the midday sun and the bright blue canvas that Jack knew made the roof of the arena. The ground was wet and soft, covered in mud, and some patches of snow still remained. In the air hung that frigid humidity that developed when a recent snowstorm was melting away.

In the center of the clearing a fire crackled, and strips of meat were speared through with a aluminum stick over the flames. Spread around the fire was a backpack, several metal bottles, and to Jack's disgust, the entrails of some small animal. The ground around the fire was torn up a bit, and there was a visible dent in the ground on the side closest to Jack.

With another grunt, Jack crawled out from underneath the dripping pine and attempted to stand. He stood for a moment before nausea slammed into him and his head went spinning. He legs buckled underneath him and the ground rushed up to meet him. Jack steeled himself for a face full of mud, but it never came.

"You really should know not to do that by now," Urea said, hefting him up by the armpits.

She dragged him over to the fire and helped him sit back down. Then she walked to the guts Jack had seen earlier. Digging her hands into the mud beneath them, she managed to shovel them into the fire without actually touching them. After completing this task, she carefully pulled the stick out of the fire and handed it to Jack.

Jack rubbed his head and groaned again as he took it. "How long-?"

"Later," Urea interrupted. "Eat first."

Jack did so, even though he didn't really feel like eating. But by the time he had finished his second strip of meat, he was eating it so fast he barely gave himself time to chew. He finished the stick that had once been covered in meat within a few minutes.

Jack thrust the stick into the fire to clean the grease off and looked at Urea's condescending expression. The corner of her mouth quirked up as she leaned right to grab one of the bottles. She tossed it across the fire to him and he caught it, screwing open the lid. She chugged the contents, which consisted of some surprisingly good water before closing it again. He stared a moment at Urea before throwing it as hard as he could as her face.

Urea caught it almost effortlessly and raised an eyebrow at him.

Jack shrugged.

Without a word, Urea put the bottle with the other three and then stretched her legs out in front of her.

Jack tried again. "How long-?"

"Two days," Urea answered. "I was out half of the first day too, but that antidote worked wonders. I managed to get the fire going and I found a clean stream nearby that's not still poisoned with the water melting from the snow. You brought a backpack with all of the bottles and some other useful stuff in it. I guess it must've been the District 12 bag. I tried to get you to eat, but you wouldn't and when I managed to get something down your throat, you just threw it back up again. That's why you're so hungry."

"Makes sense," Jack said.

The two of them sat there in silence for a very long time. It was as if they didn't talk about it would mean it wasn't true. It meant Jack wouldn't have to think about it, that he wouldn't have to deal with the emotions that he knew he would have to face head-on eventually. Unless he died in the arena, of course.

But all good things must come to an end.

Finally, Urea said, "Jack."

Jack knew what was coming, and he tensed up. Urea saw it, and he saw her eyes soften in a way he never thought they could. She stood up and walked around the fire to sit beside him. When she spoke, her voice was strong.

"It doesn't help to avoid it. It's a lot easier if you just accept it."

Jack said nothing.

Urea sighed. "Look, I know how it feels. You know I do. But once you accept it, you can let it go. And then you're free."

Jack still was silent.

"Jack."

Jack turned his head away from her.

That was when a fist connected with the underside of his jaw. Pain jolted up through his ear and the side of his head as he went rolling through the mud. He rolled up and onto his feet, facing the now-standing Urea with his knees bent and his stance wide.

"What the heck are you doing?" Jack yelled at her.

"Teaching you what it really means to be alone!" she snarled back at him, drawing one of her daggers and charging at him.

Jack was so surprised that for a moment, all he could do was stare. Then the reality of the situation hit him and he leaped to the side as Urea sliced at his stomach. She turned on her heel and leaped at him again. Jack ducked underneath her attack and dashed to the tree he had been sitting underneath when he had woken up a half-hour before. Urea ran at him again and he stood with his back against the tree until she was only a few feet away. When she tried to cut across his chest, he reached up and grabbed two low-hanging branches, pulling himself up and out of the way.

Urea barely managed to veer her course just enough to slip around the trunk, and by that time, Jack was already heading back towards the fire. He slid in the mud on his knees as he passed by the fire and scooped up his katanas. As Urea came racing back around the other side of the trees, he quickly tried to buckle the three swords onto his back with fumbling fingers. He managed to get the last buckle just as she lunged at him.

Rolling left and coming up into a kneeling position, Jack drew one sword in his right hand and fended off one of Urea's slashes. Jack stepped back as he brought himself to his feet and drew another sword in his left hand. Urea pulled a second dagger from the back of her pants. There was no telling how many more she had hidden somewhere in the folds of her clothes.

As Urea jumped at him again, Jack surveyed the situation frantically in his mind. There was no way he could outrun her. She was too fast, and she weighed a lot less than he did, which would give her a major advantage in this muddy terrain. But if he stood and fought her, he doubted he would be able to win. He had the longer reach, but again, she was too fast. And even if these factors didn't exist, he probably still wouldn't win. He was fighting a Career who had trained most of her life and _lived _most of her life fighting others.

Jack used one foot to jump to his right and try to get around her guard, but she turned with him. Jack knew he was holding himself back, but he couldn't help it. It had only been a few days ago when the two of them had lain together on the ground, sobbing together in mourning and sleeping together in rest. Now they were fighting to the death, and Jack wondered if it had all been a cover story and this had been her plan all along.

Jack was holding back, though, until Urea's dagger skimmed across his cheek and Jack flinched when the sharp sting seemed to run up into his eye. Only then did the situation fully slam into him, and he realized he might not live through this experience.

Jack fought back with a force of fury that seemed to surprise Urea. His speed and the strength of his blows both picked up. He became willing to take a step in, to attack and take a chance. The fight turned into a true duel, and Jack knew that the people of the Capitol and most of Panem were wondering which one of them would come out of this battle alive.

Urea tried to thrust her dagger into his head, but he ducked and jabbed at her stomach. She leaped back, then took a step forward to take a swipe at his shoulder, which he dodged by moving slightly to the side. Jack took a stab at her chest, and she deflected it off of one of her daggers. The force jolted up Jack's arm and up through his shoulder, through his collarbone and into his head. His skull started to throb again.

Unfortunately, this also gave Urea the chance to gain the upper hand on him. As she continued to attack him furiously, his head started spinning, and within moments, she had him pinned down. Straddling his hips, her feet pinned down his hands, pressing down hard enough on his wrists that he was forced to let go of his swords. He watched, terrified, as she brought her knife back up behind her, the shiny silver blade gleaming in the sunlight.

In desperation, Jack bucked up his hips, and then used the motion to throw his head forward. Urea cried out and sprawled back as their foreheads smashed together. It only made Jack's headache worse, but the adrenaline rushing through his veins was pushing away the side effects of the fight. Rolling, Jack again picked up his katanas and came to his feet, facing Urea with his blades crossed.

Urea clambered to her feet and glared at him. Then she ran at him and said, "You were too trusting. I learned it long ago, but by now even you should have figured out that trusting other people never helps you."

Jack deflected one strike and slipped sideways as another aimed for his side. "Unlike you, I actually had people I could trust. Or was that all just a lie?"

Urea jumped sideways and tried to stab him in the stomach; a blow he blocked. "It wasn't a lie!" she snarled. "Though you should know. After all, you've suffered through the same, haven't you?"

Fury raged through Jack's veins and he leaped forward with a roar. His blade scraped Urea's side, but she recovered quickly, shoving him away. The fight continued.

"You have no idea-" Jack started.

"Really?" Urea interrupted, nicking his right knee. "You're really going to say that to me of all people?"

"It's a lie!" Jack shouted, barely shaving her above the eyebrow.

"_It is not!"_ Urea screamed back, grazing his left forearm.

"No one could survive that!" Jack shouted, lunging forward and whirling to block a stab from her right dagger. "I can't deal with one! Nobody would be able to deal with three!"

"It was four!" Urea corrected furiously, nearly running him through with her left dagger. "My father counted too! He's as good as dead to me now! In fact, he'd be better off dead!"

"How could you say that?" Jack cried, rolling to avoid an overhead slice.

"You don't understand!"

"I do understand! It's like you said, it happened to me only two days ago!"

"And yet you're in ruins while I've lost three more and I'm still strong as steel!" Urea stated in a shout.

"That's not true and you know it!" Jack said, ducking under another high slash.

"Why did you care about her so much?" Urea asked shrilly, taking a stab at his stomach, causing him to jump back. "If she was the only one it took, why did it hurt you so much?"

"BECAUSE I LOVED HER!" Jack screamed.

Dead silence.

The forest echoed with his shout, the words bouncing around between the trees like juicy gossip. The fire crackled quietly in the center of Urea and Jack, as if not wanting to disturb the silence. Everything else in the world seemed to have gone completely and utterly still. Time had frozen for Jack. He and Urea stood across from each other, panting as they stared into each other's gleaming eyes. The wind itself seemed to be holding its breath.

Jack realized what he had said and slowly sank to the ground, dropping his swords in the mud. He put his face in his hands and started sobbing uncontrollably, rocking on his knees.

He heard footsteps slide across the wet ground and he dropped his hands to his thighs as Urea's feet slowly approached him, but he did not look up.

"Go ahead," he whispered. "Just do it already."

Instead of the blinding pain he had expected to feel, he heard metal scrape against metal as Urea sheathed her daggers. Then she dropped to her knees in front of him. He felt a hand on the back of his neck. She pulled his head forward until their foreheads were touching together.

"Knowing is the first step to accepting," Urea murmured softly.

And then Jack knew. She was still the same Urea he knew, the same broken girl from that despairing story she had told him three nights ago. But he wasn't the same Jack, the same affectionate boy who had hugged her after she confessed her tale to him. She hadn't changed, and she hadn't been lying. He was the one who changed; he had been lying to himself. And the change hadn't been for the better. That was why Urea had jumped on him. Only pressing words combined with a pressing situation would get Jack anywhere.

But now Jack realized that Rin-brave, fearless Rin-had been more than just a friend. He had known it before. He had thought of her as a sister. But it was more than that. She wasn't just a sister, she was a lifeline. Despite having his family, Jack had never come as close to them as he did with Rin, and now he realized that he had been her lifeline too. They were what connected the other to the earth, to life, and now his was gone.

But it wasn't gone. Not anymore. Two nights ago, right after the feast, he had almost made a fatal mistake, and it had been because his lifeline was gone. But someone had stopped him, and now he knew he again had a lifeline. No, it was not the same one, and he himself one never be the same, but Jack was glad that Urea was his new lifeline. He couldn't have asked for a better one.

And he knew that _everyone _needed a lifeline, even Urea. He also knew who Urea's other lifeline was. Between both Jack and Raymond, perhaps Urea could even find her old self.

"I know what you're thinking," Urea whispered. "The lifeline."

Jack was silent for a moment. Then he slid his hand around the back of Urea's neck like she had done with him, pressing their foreheads together even more.

"Thank you Urea."

…

The next morning, Jack awoke to find Urea sitting beside the fire munching happily on some meat. When she saw him open his eyes, she tossed a stick filled with meat strips at him.

Waking up real quick, Jack managed to catch it and crawled over to the fire. He sat down across from her and bit into one strip of meat, devouring it in seconds. After Jack and Urea's fight the two of them had passed out beside each other, exhausted.

"'ow long 'ave you 'een up?" Jack asked, his words slightly distorted from his full mouth.

Urea shrugged. "An hour or so."

Jack nodded and continued to dig in.

"Who's left?" Urea asked.

Jack stared at her for a second before he came to common sense. Of course she wouldn't know who was left, she hadn't even been at the feast. There was no way she could've known.

"The two of us, Jute, and that kid Cole with the District 2 girl," Jack answered with a yawn.

Urea gazed at him for a long moment. "Did you-?"

"Yeah," Jack said, glaring at the ground beside him. "I did. It was the District 2 boy."

"Then it looks like this'll be a grudge fight," Urea declared.

Jack looked up at her. "What do you mean?"

"Cole hates me because I was always on top while he was always second-best," Urea said, waving a hand in the air. "And the Careers always hate the non-Career tributes who kill their District partner. I never was sure why."

Jack huffed.

"Well," Urea sighed, stabbing her stick into the soft ground and wiping her greasy mouth with the back of her hand. "We need to rest. My guess is the Gamemakers will wait until the Careers find either Jute or us, then the finale will begin. We need to be ready when that time comes."

Jack nodded. "Okay."

Urea curled up on her side facing the fire while Jack finished his meal. When he was done, he threw the stick at Urea. Her eyes opened and she caught it moments before it hit her forehead.

Jack grinned at her.

Urea sighed. "Please tell me you're not going to make a habit of this," she said in an exasperated voice.

Jack just shrugged.

Urea huffed and wedged the stick into the ground beside hers, closing her eyes again. Jack chuckled and lay back, pulling his hands behind his head as he stared up at the sky, and for the first time since entering the arena, he wondered what his family was doing, what Katniss, Peeta, and Portia were doing- oh yeah. And Haymitch.

Was his family mourning alongside Rin's? Were they mourning for him? Or were they happy he made it this far, still hoping that he had a chance to win? He wasn't sure how Rin's family would think of him after this, but he hoped they could still be as close as they had been before.

And what were his mentors doing? How did they feel about Rin's death? Were they disappointed that they wouldn't both be coming back? Were they disappointed that Jack had nearly taken his own life?

No doubt, Haymitch was probably drunk off his rocker.

Jack snickered and saw Urea open one of her eyes across the fire. "Something funny?" she asked.

Jack scooted around the fire until he was laying beside her. She was facing away from him, so she turned onto her own back and laced her hands behind her head, copying Jack.

"Nothing," Jack told her after a moment's silence. "Just thinking about Haymitch."

Urea snorted. "That old drunk?"

Jack glared weakly at her. "He's not that bad."

Urea raised an eyebrow at him.

"Really, he's not!" Jack insisted.

"Sure," Urea said, looking back up at the sky. Then he chest heaved with a sigh. "At least he can get drunk without destroying everything in his path, including people."

Jack winced as he realized she was talking about her dad. He was silent for a moment before he gently asked, "How did your dad react when you were reaped?"

Urea was silent for a long time before she quietly replied, "He didn't come to visit me after the Reaping, but when I was called up, he was with the rest of the living Victors on the stage, so I could see his face, and he seemed almost…scared."

"Do you think he cares about you?" Jack asked. "Y'know…deep down."

Urea shook her head silently, but it wasn't a denial. It was a motion that meant she wasn't sure.

"Needless to say," Jack said. "They probably arrested him. He _is_ a Victor and this _is_ the Capitol we're talking about here, but I don't think even they would allow domestic violence."

Urea snorted again. "Oh, it won't be the Capitol that stops him," she said. "They won't touch him. No, it'll be the District. A lot of people don't even realize it, but the good people from the poorer parts really like me. I've been helping them around for quite some time now."

"And what if the Capitol won't let them touch him?" Jack asked hesitantly.

Urea's face hardened. "Then I will."

Jack was silent for a long time before he said, "If he's still there, you're not going to stay. I'm going to make sure of that."

Urea stared at him as she realized what he was implying. "But-"

Jack pressed a finger to his lips, but he was pretty sure the Gamemakers wouldn't understand what he was saying. He wasn't planning on being the only one to come out of here alive.

Urea was coming too.

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><p><strong>Next Time...<strong>

_BOOM._

_"This is it. You ready?"_

_BOOM._

_"Go ahead, do it!"_

_BOOM._

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><p><strong>Hope you liked it! Review please!<strong>

**PICKLES FOR THE WORLD!**

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><p><em>This has been a word of wisdom from the Praetor of the First Legion of Jelly Crabs.<em>


	15. Because I Love You

**Guys. Okay. Review. I'm serious this time. I feel like nobody really cares about this story. And anyways, the story is nearly finished. Come on, please. It only takes a few seconds to tell a chick good job. Please.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games.**

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><p>Chapter 15<p>

Because I Love You

**BOOM.**

Jack awoke with a jolt, gasping. He shot straight up and looked at the sky, which reflected a clear picture of Jute's rough face. He glanced at Urea, who was already sitting up.

"That's our cue," Urea said grimly, standing. She stomped out the dying fire and leaned over, pulling two daggers out of her boots to slip them into her waistband.

Jack too stood, picking his extra katana up off the ground and buckling it to his waist. He was about to take off his trench coat for fear that it would tangle him up when Urea stopped him.

"Keep it," she said across the smoking remains of the fire. "It will be a good distraction if you need it."

Jack nodded, and without a word, the two of them started through the forest, heading for the Cornucopia. As they clambered through the trees, he started to doubt himself.

Urea must've seen the haggard expression of his face, because she said, "Just think of…Rin."

"That won't be enough," Jack said without looking at her.

Urea was silent. Then she said. "It's either you or them…Me or them."

Jack did look at her now to see her eyes narrowed, her mouth set in a thin line. Then he was forced to look away as the sky abruptly darkened. Clouds partly covered the full moon.

Suddenly, a loud roar erupted from the forest somewhere off to their right, making them both jump and whirl towards the sound. Urea drew two of her daggers and Jack followed suit. The forest was only filled with the sound of chirping insects.

"You heard the mutt," Urea hissed in a tight whisper. "Time to go."

With that, she started sprinting in the direction of the Cornucopia. It took Jack a moment, but he leaped over a fallen log and raced after her. He just barely managed to catch up to her and keep up with her.

_**RRAAGH!**_

In front of Jack, Urea cried out as a pair of green eyes leaped out of the trees to her left. A furry mass of muscles slapped a paw across Urea's face and three thick red lines of blood opened up on her cheek. Urea rolled away, trying to get as much distance between her and the creature as she could.

With a mighty cry, Jack reared back and threw his right sword as hard as he could. The katana spiraled through the air and hit the monster's side. The monster dropped without a sound.

Urea scrambled to her feet and yanked the bloody sword out of the animal's body. She tossed it to Jack, who caught it by the hilt.

"Tigers," Urea said grimly, gazing down at the cat's striped body. She yanked her eyes away and jerked her head at Jack. The two of them continued running towards the Cornucopia.

"Ignore their eyes," Urea instructed him as they continued to dash through the trees. "Actually, ignore everything about them except for the fact that they're trying to kill you. Everything about these mutts are designed to throw you off balance, and that includes making them look like the tributes who have already died. You have to remember: They're. Not. Real."

She punctuated each word and glanced back at Jack meaningfully. He nodded at her to show her his understanding.

Just then they broke out onto the open plain and they both froze at the sight before them.

The Cornucopia was gone.

Urea cursed as one of the tiger mutts exploded from the trees off to their left. It spotted them across the plain and roared, immediately lunging in their direction.

Urea grabbed Jack's sleeve and starting sprinting in the other direction, towards the side of the arena littered with boulders and caves. Jack followed without hesitation, glancing behind him to see that the mutt had been joined by two friends.

Urea and Jack pushed through the rocks, looking for high ground. Just as one of the tigers lunged at Jack with bared teeth, Urea yanked him left around a wide boulder. She shoved him atop the boulder and scrambled up after him.

The two of the sat there for a long moment, breathing hard. The mutts growled in annoyance below them. Eventually, Jack stood, pulling Urea up. They surveyed the creatures below them, trying to think of a way out of their situation.

Suddenly, something slammed into the back of Jack. Urea cried out and reached for him, but it was too late. Jack fell forward off the boulder and face planted on the hard stone ground. He covered his head with his arms, expecting the tearing of the mutts' teeth and claws, but it never came.

Jack blinked and lifted his head.

The mutts were gone.

They were just…gone, disappeared as if erased from existence. No 'poof' or flash of light. Just gone.

Jack clambered to his feet, but was knocked back down again a moment later as Urea flew over the edge of the boulder and slammed into him. Urea quickly rolled off him and pulled him up. Then she drew her daggers.

"Heads up."

Jack dropped into a fighting stance as the two Careers leaped off the boulder, landing right in front of them with daggers drawn. Jack picked his fallen swords off the ground.

Dead silence.

Jack completely forgot the missing mutts, focusing solely on the two tributes in front of him. All four tributes stood taut as a string. The moon gleamed off Urea's daggers, reflecting into Jack's right eye. Sweat streamed down his side, even in the cool air. Jack's senses were straining to their limits, picking up things he normally wouldn't have noticed. Adrenaline pumped through his veins, sharpening the world into focus. Jack was amazed. He had never felt this way before. He had never felt so _alive._

Then, the scene shattered.

Cole lunged forward, and Urea leaped back, barely dodging the attack. Jack moved forward and his blades clashed with the District 2 girl's.

She stabbed at him and Jack rolled sideways, sharp rocks digging into his shoulders and back. When he stood, he was forced to cross swords to block another attack. Then the girl swiped at his head. Jack blocked that attack too.

The girl thrust at both his chest and stomach at the same time. Jack deflected both, her blades sliding off his with a loud screeching sound. Jack fought the urge to cover his ears.

The girl swiped at his shoulder. Jack moved aside and felt the blade swoop through the air by his ear. Then the girl cut at his neck. Jack ducked under the attack and stabbed her right knee. She cried out and stumbled sideways.

Then she growled and lunged at him again, dagger thrust out straight in front of her, another stiff at her hip. Jack dodged her stab and blocked her other dagger. She stumbled again, off balance, and Jack lunged forward. He aimed for a quick, killing blow at her chest, but she blocked him just in time, and his blade slid off hers, slicing her shoulder. Crying out once more and rolling her shoulder painfully, she retreated.

Her moves suddenly seemed sluggish and slow compared to when he had seen her fight before. Jack wondered if the cause was his adrenaline or the seemingly never-ending fighting stride Jack had been in since the revelating battle with Urea. Jack would win this one.

_Shck-__**CRACK!**_

Jack gasped as his sword bent dangerously against another attack and broke in half. The broken end of the blade ricocheted towards him, burying itself in his left hip.

Pain exploded through Jack, fiery vines climbing up his left side to rake at his insides with their thorns. Jack screamed, collapsing to the cold stone ground. He teetered on the edge of unconsciousness.

"Jack!"

There was a loud cry, and through the pain, Jack somehow managed ot flail out with the broken sword. Metal met flesh, and immediately, wetness covered Jack. Then something fell to the ground beside him.

Jack drowned in pain again.

He came to again with his vision shrouded in a red haze. He saw Urea pull the District 2 girl's corpse aside, saw her crouch beside him, saw her reach for his wound…

Jack screamed again. Agony engulfed him, even worse than before. His previously perfect senses were reeling wildly, clamoring through his very existence and tearing through his world.

And suddenly, the pain stopped. No, not stopped. Dimmed. Like a light bulb.

Jack opened his eyes.

Urea crouched over him, the container with the gel that had healed her in hand. When she saw his eyes open, her concerned face turned to a grim, yet determined one and she slipped it into her pocket. She stood and slowly helped him up. His side flared with pain for a moment before once again weakening.

Jack looked at Urea's grim face. Then the ground.

The flat stone around his feet was a mess. Blood was everywhere. The District 2 girl lay a few yards to his right, lifeless.

**BOOM.**

Jack retched.

Urea pounded his back without a word, letting him get rid of his sickness. When he had finally finished, he straightened up and wiped his mouth, but not before spotting the pointed end of the broken blade lying right beside the spot where he had puked.

Covered in blood.

Jack shuddered and looked at Urea, the question obvious in his eyes.

She nodded.

Jack shivered and kicked the blade away, opting to pick up the part of the sword that hadn't stabbed him. The end was still ragged, if he ended up needing it. For now, though, he sheathed it, picked up his unbroken sword, and drew his other sound one. He looked at Urea.

She pointed down the rocky slope.

Below them, Cole was just climbing to his feet, a thin streak of blood above his right brow. He glanced up and saw the two of them. Snarled.

"Come on," Urea said quietly. "I know you're wounded, and it's still going to hurt, so I'll make up for it. Let's finish this as quickly as we can."

Jack nodded, and together, the two of them loped down the rocky hill, stones rolling beneath their feet.

Every step sent knives of pain scraping up Jack's side, but he kept going. Once of twice his ankle rolled, and he lost his balance, even more pain flaring up. But each time, Urea caught him and helped him take a few more steps before he could once again run on his own.

Cole charged up to meet them, pure animal fury burning in his eyes.

Urea got to Cole first. When she was five feet away, she took a huge leap forward and slammed Cole in the face with the butt of her dagger. As the two went rolling down the hill, Jack yelped and tripped again, tumbling down the slope with them. They all landed in a heap at the edge of the plain.

Cole lashed out, and his dagger caught Jack above his right brow. Urea shoved him away with a grunt and all three of them clambered to their feet. With a loud cry, Cole lunged at Jack. He deflected his attack and clumsily swiped at the other boy, his side flaring in pain. Cole easily dodged and sliced at his chest. Jack barely managed to deflect this one, and the Career's dagger sliced through the right side of his rib cage.

Then Urea was there in front of him, attacking Cole with all the fury in the world. Jack nearly fell over as he watched the two go at it with speed he knew he'd never posses. At least, not in this state.

Jack stumbled sideways, his vision blurring. Pain was pounding in on him from both sides now, and Jack wasn't sure how much longer he could hold up, even if the medicine had made his left hip a little better.

_But I have to, _Jack reminded himself, leaning against a nearby boulder. _I can't let her die too._

So Jack again hefted his sword and sprinted towards the fight between Cole and Urea. He lunged at Cole across the five-yard span. It was a mistake that cost him dearly.

Using Jack's momentum, he sent him flying straight past him and crashing into the ground three yards away. Then he whirled as Urea jumped at him. She hadn't expected for Jack to miss so completely, and was already moving by the time she realized his failure. Cole used her flying leap to grab her wrist in midair and twist it, forcing her to let go of her dagger. Then he used the forward motion to spin the two of them around until he had her in a headlock, her own arm pointing a dagger at the back of her head.

Jack was already on his feet by this time, sword in hand, but when Cole whirled to face him with Urea still in a headlock, he stopped in his tracks.

Cole grinned. "I think you know what I want."

As Jack took a tentative step forward, Urea grunted. "Don't, Jack," she said. "You know he's going to kill us both anyway."

Jack didn't reply as he slowly advanced, katana extended away from his body. But he did make eye contact, and an entire conversation passed between the two of them. Urea furrowed her brow and glanced down, struggling to see her discarded dagger beneath her and Cole's feet.

"There," Cole said, abruptly when Jack was only a few feet away. He nodded at the ground.

Jack slowly crouched and lay both swords on the ground before taking a huge step backwards. Cold crouched low, taking Urea with him. Urea's foot hit her lost weapon. Her eyes lit up.

Suddenly, Cole tightened his grip on the arm that was pointing Urea's dagger at her own head. Then he jerked the dagger away, sending it skittering far across the ground. He slid his hand down to Urea's elbow.

And twisted.

Urea bit her lip and shut her eyes tight as a sharp crack resounded across the plain. Tears leaked from the corners of her eyes as a small bulge appeared just below her elbow. Jack clenched his teeth, fighting off the urge of scream at Cole and tear him to pieces.

Urea opened watering eyes and gave him a pitiful attempt at a reassuring smile. Jack growled in fury.

"There," Cole said, satisfaction filling his voice as he twisted Urea's broken arm behind her back. "Now you can't stab me if you get the chance."

He finally picked up one of Jack's katana and motioned him forward. Jack did so and stopped only a foot away from the other boy.

Cole stabbed.

Quick as lightning, Jack jerked right. Pain flared through his left shoulder as the blade hit bone, but Jack knew he couldn't' hesitate. Next time, Cole would find his mark in Jack's heart.

So even though Jack was teetering on the edge of unconsciousness, he blindly kicked. Cole cried out and Jack vaguely saw him stumble slightly.

Then his vision cleared.

It was as if he had been doused in a bucket of ice water. A feeling of complete and utter calm washed over him, and Jack was about to move forward to finish the job, but Urea beat him to it.

As Cole stumbled back, Urea managed to dig the toe of her boot into the ground. She kicked upwards and something shiny flashed in the air above her head. Urea grunted heavily and took a huge step forward. Cole tried to pull her back, but to no avail. He only realized too late her plan. The discarded dagger buried itself in the crown of his head, and he toppled to the ground without a sound.

** BOOM.**

Urea walked to Jack, cradling her broken arm. She sat beside him crisscross, copying his position. Without a word, she tossed him the container of healing medicine. He caught I with his good arm and slathered all three of his wounds in the thick gel. He threw it back to her and she caught it with her good hand, jamming it into her back pocket.

The two of them sat there for a long time, just gazing up into the sky of the arena and listening to the birds of the arena and feeling the breeze of the arena brushing against their skin. The sky quickly lightened again.

But in unspoken consent, the two of them just continued to sit there. No words, no movement. Peace. Like Urea had said in her interview.

Dead silence.

Jack's mind had fallen into a haze when the Gamemakers finally got tired of waiting. He felt as if his body wasn't his and the situation wasn't his. The pain and exhaustion were finally taking a toll on him. Jack had been running on empty for a long time.

But that was before the mutts came back.

They emerged from the trees around the plain, growling and snarling, their sleek striped bodies stark against the trees behind them. Urea and Jack pulled themselves to their feet and once more picked up their weapons. With no Cornucopia, there was nowhere to run to for safety. Urea and Jack stood back-to-back.

"They mean to make us fight each other of fear that we'll be killed by the mutts," Urea said, her voice strangely hoarse.

"I know," Jack replied, his own voice sore and tired. "But we won't do that."

"No," Urea agreed.

"Then it's two or none, and I have a feeling that it might end up being none," Jack told her.

He felt Urea nod behind him.

The mutts slowly closed in, still hissing and spitting. There were too many of them for just Urea and Jack to fight off; probably dozens of them. There would be no fight. Only a slaughter.

"As always," Jack whispered to himself.

The mutts formed a circle around them, there noises and fury increasing as the two of them refused to move, aside from shuffling in a cirlce to look at each creature. Urea and Jack remained back-to-back, and neither of them made so much as an effort to hurt the other.

"Y'know," Urea said in a bitter voice filled with grim laughter. "My birthday's today."

Jack felt the side of his mouth quirk up at the cruel irony. "That so?"

"Yep," Urea murmured. "I've been counting."

"Funny you should mention that," Jack muttered to her. "Today is Rin's birthday too."

Urea didn't miss his use of present tense. He felt her shiver behind him.

The mutts stopped circling and bared their teeth, stalking forward inch-by-inch.

Jack knew what was coming. He looked over his shoulder quickly, that one glimpse seemingly lasting for eternity.

It was a glimpse of Urea's face, covered in bruises, blood, and grime. So much so that he could only see a small smudge of skin just on the corner of her nose. But for the first time, Jack saw the real Urea. This was her, not that cold, hard shell he had met weeks ago in the training center. Her bright green eyes, which had fascinated Jack from the start with the cold sorrow locked within them, were shining with tears. But this time the tears weren't ones of sadness or sorrow or hate. This time it was tears that said so much more than words could say. They were the tears of someone who had found lost hope, only to lose it once more, along with themselves. A blue backdrop of the sky framed the tears, framed her face.

Urea's face.

"I love you," Jack whispered.

"I love you too," Urea whispered.

The mutts leaped.

And all Jack knew was pain.

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><p><strong>Please, please, please review guys. Seriously, it doesn't take too long.<strong>

**PICKLES FOR THE WORLD!**

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><p><em>This has been a word of wisdom from the Praetor of the First Legion of Jelly Crabs.<em>


	16. A Matching Set

**Hey guys! Schwan here! I'm happy! This is the last chapter! I've finally completed a real story! :D**

**Anyways, a humungous thanks to frustratedpopcorn (awsome name by the way) for reviewing! I was so relieved to find that somebody still likes this story. Thank you SO MUCH!**

**Well, this is it. Have fun!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games Trilogy.**

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><p>Chapter 16<p>

A Matching Set

When Jack woke up, he hurt.

_A lot._

He groaned and cracked open his swollen eyes to see several faces floating above him, between him and a light. They had surgical masks on their faces that told Jack they were Capitol doctors.

"He's awake!" one hissed. He jostled another aside and spat after him, "I told you we should've given him more!"

Jack tried to talk, to ask what was going on, but his mouth and voice wouldn't work. Panic settled in as one of the doctors filled a syringe with thick rust-colored liquid. Jack tried to thrash, to fight back, but his limbs only twitched.

The doctor poked the syringe into an IV machine hooked to Jack's right arm. He pushed the liquid in and Jack helplessly watched as the stuff rushed down the IV tube and disappeared into his body.

Instantly, numbness enclosed Jack. The world faded away within moments and Jack fell asleep.

…

When Jack woke up again, he was lying in a bed, staring up at a glowing ceiling of yellow.

Jack groaned and rubbed his pounding head. Shirtless and swathed in plush green covers that smelled like limes, Jack couldn't figure out what was going on. He tried to sit up, but a strap was holding him to the table.

He tried to work his fingers under it, but as soon as he started this furious movement, a clear liquid started pulsing through an IV attached to Jack's hand. Suddenly, Jack felt incredibly tired, and he let his head thump to the bed, closing his eyes and falling asleep once more.

…

He woke up again with the strap gone and Portia sitting beside him.

"Portia!" Jack exclaimed as soon as he saw her, sitting up straight in bed. He half expected to get dizzy, but he felt perfectly fine.

"Jack," Portia said with a slight smile on her face.

Jack grinned like a child and wrapped an arm around her shoulders before quickly pulling away with a slight blush on his face. "Sorry," he muttered.

"It's fine." Portia waved it away with her hand. She stepped toward one blank wall and motioned to him. "Come on," she said. "Your circumstances are a little special, so you won't get to see the mentors before the interviews, but you'll see them afterward."

Jack nodded and followed after her. The wall slid open like a door and Portia led him down a long white hall. She finally stopped at a random spot along the right end and another invisible door opened up. She led him inside and motioned to an outfit on the wall.

"Oh," was all Jack had to say.

It was a pale orange suit, sparkling with a touch of pink in the overhead light. Black shoes and gloves hung off the suit. The outfit looked almost like a rising sun.

Jack stepped forward and fingered the rich material, the soft fabric slipping through his fingers like water.

Water. District Four.

_Holy crap._

Jack whirled on Portia. "Where is she!?"

Portia's eyes widened and she was silent for a long moment before her face softened. "She's okay Jack," she said quietly. She walked forward and placed her hands on Jack's shoulder. "You actually had it worse than her."

Jack felt a tension he hadn't noticed before drain out of his body. His shoulders slumped and he sighed. "That's good," he said, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. "I'm glad." He opened his eyes again and furrowed his brows. "Portia," he said uncertainly, raising a tentative hand to his face. "What is…?"

His fingers touched a soft bandage wrapping around his head, covering the sliver of skin that ran from the left part of his forehead to the right corner of his jaw, right between his eyes, which was probably why he hadn't noticed it before.

"I thought all of my wounds were supposed to be healed," Jack said, looking up into Portia's face.

Her eyes were dark. "They were, but _someone _gave the order not to heal that one."

She emphasized the word 'someone' but Jack wasn't exactly sure whom she meant. He traced the white cloth along the side of his head and concluded it was probably from one of the mutts, or most likely a topple in the field or rocks and boulders while he was fighting the District 2 girl. Either way, he was suprised that he hadn't noticed it before the end of the Games.

Shaking his head, Jack turned back to the suit. Without a word, Portia stepped up next to him and unhooked it from the wall. She set it on a metal table tucked into the corner of the white room and Jack slipped off his clothes, used to the routine. He stepped into the center of the room and Portia helped him into the suit, sliding the undershirt and the jacket over his shoulders before he jumped into the pants and stepped into the shoes, slipping on the gloves as well.

Finally, Portia led him into another room branching off of that one and doused him in makeup, just enough to make the bandage seem less noticeable. She combed through his hair, but there was no need to gel it. It was still sticking straight up at attention.

Portia stepped back to survey him, nodding her approval until her eyes got to the top of his head. She stared at the spike of hair on top of his head before breaking into laughter. She doubled over, holding her stomach as tears of mirth rolled down her cheeks. Her laughter made Jack giddy too, and by the time she had finally stopped, he was grinning widely.

"Ah," Portia sighed, shaking her head without another word and placing a hand on Jack's shoulder. She steered him back out of the rooms, up the white hall, into another room at the end of the hall, and into another yet another hall, only this one was nearly pitch black. Soon, Jack's eyes adjusted as Portia continued to propel him forward, and he eventually found himself standing on a small, metal plate.

"Stay here," Portia whispered quietly, all serious. "Just wait. You know what to do when it's your turn."

Jack nodded and she returned the motion, patted him on the shoulder, and pursed her lips. She opened her mouth to say something, her eyes troubled. Then she seemed to reconsider and closed it again. She patted his shoulder one more time and smiled lightly. "Blow them away, okay?"

Jack smiled too. "Okay."

Portia nodded one last time before turning and walking away without another backwards glance.

Jack figured he'd be standing here for several minutes and glanced to his right to see a wall ten feet away. He knew Urea was probably back there.

Jack ground the heel of his hand into his forehead. He hadn't really thought about coming out of the arena with her in tow. He hadn't thought of seeing her again after that life-or-death war. Even now it seemed unreal.

Jack shook his head, opting to think of other things for the time being. His mind turned unbidden towards his last moments of consciousness in the arena. It had been pain and that was it, but what had the Gamemakers been thinking at the time. Obviously, they had decided two victors were better than none, but why? And why hadn't Jack been allowed to heal completely?

Unease prickled on Jack's scalp. Maybe there was more going here on than he thought. Any random doctor couldn't just interfere with the healing after the Games. Victors were exalted, and for them to not seem like perfect survivors was almost a felony. To go against that unspoken rule, one would need a very high position.

Jack swallowed. He remembered the temporary unrest that followed the 74th Hunger Games. The first Games with two victors was unprecedented, and for a time, Panem was on the brink of rebellion. Jack still wasn't sure what had caused the turmoil to recede, but he knew Katniss and Peeta had been walking through a minefield over that short period of time.

Would the second Games with two victors cause the same problems? Or was it only a one-time thing?

Jack was starting to feel sick.

Just then, the anthem blasted above him, and he could hear Ceaser Flickerman's excited voice calling to the crowd. Straightening, Jack listened as his and Urea's prep teams were introduced, then Effie and a man named Galley, who Jack assumed was the District 4 escort. Portia and Urea's stylist, a woman named Cana, came after them. Next was the two District Four victors who had opted to instruct Urea while the rest remained in their District. After that, Haymitch, Katniss, and Peeta were introduced to much cheering.

Then it was Jack's turn. The plate's journey upward seemed to take forever, and the next few seconds were absolutely agonizing for Jack. His head finally emerged onto the stage, followed shortly by the rest of his body, and he resisted the urge to throw up his arm to shield his eyes from all the glaring cameras and lights. He squinted and looked left to see everyone, his prep team, Effie, Portia, Haymitch and Katniss and Peeta standing a dozen feet from him. Then he looked left to see all of the District 4 entourage standing behind Urea.

It only took a few steps, and within moments, they were in the center of the stage, arms wrapped around each other in a tight embrace. Jack knew he was crying, but he wasn't ashamed because she too was crying, her tears dampening his shoulder. The crowd was going absolutely crazy, but Jack didn't care.

The two of them stood there for a solid five minutes before Caesar finally reined them in. They reluctantly broke apart but kept a tight grip on each other's hands, walking together to the pair of chairs sitting side-by-side next to Caesar's chair.

As they sat down, Urea's eyes flicked over his bandaged face, something flashing in her bright green orbs. But she set a small smile on her face that told Jack she was happy to see him. He too smiled and looked down at her clothes.

She was wearing a flowing pair of light blue pants and a blouse of the same color. There were gold circlet on her ankles and wrists, but she was barefoot. Her stylist was definitely not going for inconspicuous.

As Caesar opened up with a few jokes, dread slowly filled Jack's chest. He knew what was coming, and he wasn't sure if he'd be able to stand it.

As the recaps began, Jack tensed, and almost immediately Urea responded by squeezing his hand. He glanced at her and she gave him a small, encouraging smile. Jack turned to look back at the screen. He was ready.

And so he watched with steel in his heart as the reapings, chariot rides, and interviews flashed by. Then it was the bloodbath, and Jack got to watch as Urea was nearly pulverized and scrambled into the woods, disappearing for days. For the next half hour, the cameras flashed mostly between the Careers and the Jack's alliance group. The highlights showed the first kills in Jack's alliance and the Careers before they showed them finding Urea. Then it was the eruption and the flood, then the beginning of the snow storm. They completely skipped Urea's confession, which Jack knew she appreciated by the slight tightening of her grip on his hand.

Next was the feast, and Jack bit the inside of his cheek until it was bleeding as the battle progressed. Urea squeezed even harder, an anchor in the sea of horror, and Jack managed to stay sitting as the cannon boomed for Rin and Lily. The next few minutes mostly followed the Careers before covering the tangled fight between Jack and Urea. Then it cut to the furious battle between Jack and Urea and the two remaining Careers. It skipped over the time Jack and Urea sat still after the battle and went straight to the mutts circling around the two of them. Jack watched with slight horror as the creatures leaped, the gruesome scene filled by a sickeningly exciting soundtrack. He watched as they tried to fight back but failed. He watched as they went down under the mass of monstrous bodies. And he watched as Urea's dagger flashed in midair before sweeping down towards him.

Jack snapped his head around to look at Urea. The look he had seen in her eyes earlier returned and he realized it was guilt. She reached up with the hand that wasn't holding his own and tugged lightly on his bandage, nodding back to the screen. Jack squeezed her hand in a temporary reassurance and looked back to the highlights.

A moment after Urea sliced at him with her dagger, the mutts disappeared without a trace, leaving only empty air. Urea immediately pulled away on the screen, throwing the dagger far to the side. The two of them lay there for a long moment, a bloody mess. Then the hovercraft came down, the ladder descending. Urea hefted Jack in her arms and touched the ladder and it lifted the two of them upwards. The last few moments of the three-hour recaps showed Urea keeping a tight hold on Jack before cutting into sudden blackness.

Jack took a deep breath, closed his eyes for a long moment, then swallowed. He opened his eyes again and looked at Urea. She tipped her head at him and he nodded slightly. He was going to be okay, and she was too.

The anthem blasted again and the two of them stood. President Snow himself stepped onto the stage, followed closely by a small girl bearing a red cushion. Upon the cushion sat a single silver crown and just as he had after the 74th, he snapped the crown in half. He placed the first half on Jack's head like a tiara, his dark eyes boring into Jack's with a dark emotion roiling within, but Jack refused to back down. The president stepped back and took the other half of the crown, sliding it onto Urea's head. Jack watched as she narrowed her eyes at him, a feral, taunting grin touching the corner of her mouth, just enough for Jack and the president to see. Jack could practically feel the hatred buzzing between the two.

Then the president backed away and the moment ended.

The crowd exploded into cheers that soon faded away as Jack and Urea were yanked to a banquet at President Snow's mansion. To Jack, it was just a jumble of faces and names and flashes from cameras. He barely had time to eat, and even if he did have time, his appetite just wasn't up to it. Through those several hours, Jack and Urea didn't release each other's hands once.

Then they were whisked back to the Training Center, and when Urea's mentors yanked her onto the fourth floor, he felt as if a part of his soul itself had left him. He didn't have much time to think about it though, because Katniss had soon pulled him into his room while Peeta and Haymitch crashed. She was about to close the door on his face when he grabbed her arm.

"Katniss," he said, quietly.

Katniss slowly turned to him, face unreadable.

"What does this mean?" he asked, raising his arms to motion to the air. His question was obvious enough.

Katniss was silent for a long time before she finally whispered, "It means you aren't safe anymore." Then she turned away and slammed the door shut.

Jack hobbled into his room, stripping quickly before throwing himself into bed. He thought he would go to sleep instantly, but there was something at the back of his mind, keeping him from resting.

Jack finally sat up in bed and slipped on a white long sleeved shirt and pants that were still holed in his wardrobe. He padded into the bathroom and stopped in front of the mirror. With slow intensity, Jack found the edge of the bandage on his head and peeled it off, throwing the cloth into the trashcan before looking at himself in the mirror.

A long thin gash sliced across his previously unmarred face, running from the top of his nose to the bottom of his right cheekbone, right below his right eye.

Jack reached up and touched it with a finger, expecting a sting but feeling none. He could tell it had healed a lot already, probably mending faster with the help of Capitol medicine.

Swallowing, Jack flipped off the light and stepped into the hall outside his room, quietly closing the door behind him. He padded down the hall and up the single set of stairs leading to the roof. He stepped out onto the top of the building, his white hair whipping in the slight wind up here. Just as he had expected, Urea stood at the edge, cradling her arms against her body.

Jack stepped up next to her, and without a word, the two of them laced their hands together. For several minutes, they just stood like that, gazing at the desolate streets below and feeling the wind brush against their skin. Finally, Urea turned her head to look at him.

"I'm sorry," she murmured. She wasn't just talking about the wound.

"It's okay," Jack croaked, his voice cracking. He was telling the truth.

A short bout of silence. Then: "They finally arrested him."

Jack looked back at her. "When?"

"Just yesterday," she replied. "It's thanks to you. They didn't do it at first, but after all the things you said before the last fight…It seems like domestic abuse doesn't sit well with the other victors in District 4."

"Good," Jack said. "I hope you'll be better now."

Urea nodded slowly. "Things _will _be better. I'm just going to keep that same house, but I can live in it myself. I've practically been doing it all my life."

"I'm glad," Jack said.

They were silent again before Urea turned fully towards him. Jack did the same, looking down slightly to meet her gaze. He gripped both her hands in his and they stood like that for a long moment before she reached up and traced his new scar. A harsh smile appeared on her face.

"We're a matching set now," she croaked.

"Yeah," Jack agreed bitterly.

Urea stopped her hand along the bottom edge of his scar and laid her cool palm on his cheek. They stared at each other in silence for another long moment. Then Jack felt himself lean down. Urea came up on her toes to meet him.

And then they were kissing. Urea's lips were cool on his, reminding him of the ocean. He felt her body mold into his as he let go of her hands and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her in closer. Despite all his struggling in the arena, Jack still had a gaping hole in his chest were Rin's presence used to be, but now it seemed to fill back up again, leaving him breathless as they broke apart.

Urea wrapped her arms around his neck and the two of them stood with their foreheads pressed together, eyes closed, regaining their bearings after the kiss.

"Y'know," Urea breathed, a bitter laugh in her voice. "I wish I could have filled that void earlier. I haven't felt real love in such a long time that I've almost forgotten what it felt like."

"Well don't forget it now," Jack murmured.

"Don't worry, Jack," she whispered. "I won't."

…

The next morning, Jack was all but yanked out of bed by Effie and Portia, who insisted she had to get him ready for his final interview. She dressed him in a simple gray long-sleeved shirt and black jeans with flames crawling up the sleeves and legs. She added black boots and a touch of makeup, not commenting once on his wound, which had definitely healed too much since last night for their not to have been some Capitol interference.

Jack was soon pushed into a blank white room with a flashing Caesar and a couple of cameras. Urea soon arrived in a long purple-blue dress, similar to the one she had worn at the first interviews but with long silky sleeves and a deeper sense to it.

The interview passed by in a flash, with Caesar mostly asking what Jack and Urea's thoughts were on this or what they were thinking when this happened. He asked if the two of them were in a mutual friendship or another pair of "star-crossed lovers". The two of them only glanced at each other and responded simultaneously, "It's complicated."

After several more questions and half-hearted jokes, the two of them were finally released. They were again whisked to another room and Jack had the opportunity to change into a comfortable pair of jeans, sneakers, and an orange T-shirt. He was hurried to the roof and barely had time to say goodbye to Portia before the Peacekeepers pushed him towards the hovercraft. He climbed into the flying vehicle, followed closely by Haymitch, Katniss, and Peeta. He found a seat beside Urea and the two of them held hands without a word over the short ride to the train station.

The hovercraft touched down and the two of them stood together, stepping towards the hatch. Turning towards each other, they hugged tightly one more time, knowing this would be the last time they saw each other in a while.

"See you in a few months," Jack murmured in her ear.

"Yeah," Urea replied. "Goodbye, Jack."

Then a pair of peacekeepers forced them apart and they were pulled in two opposite directions. Jack was shoved into one train, twisting around to glimpse Urea as she was pushed into the other. Katniss, Peeta, and Haymitch climbed in after him and then they were pulling out of the train station, speeding across the landscape at hundreds of miles per hour.

Feeling numb inside, Jack sat heavily in one cushioned chair, staring out the window as the other three victors did the same around him. They spoke only to each other, giving Jack the space he needed.

Jack stared out the window for an endless stretch of time, feeling nothing and thinking nothing. When they finally stopped for fuel, he stepped outside and breathed in the fresh air, clearing up his cobwebbed mind. When he stepped back onto the train, a strange sense of déjà vu hit him. It had only been perhaps three weeks ago that he had sat on this same train with Rin, the same kind of numbness filling him, but for a completely different reason. Now he was going back to District 12. Back home.

Back home. Back to his family.

With a smile on his face, Jack sat back down and asked Peeta to pass the water jug.

…

Three weeks later, Jack sat sprawled on his couch, hands thrown over his head, thinking back on his return home.

When the doors of the train had opened and he had first stepped out, the cheers were unexpected, and it had made Jack stop instantly until Katniss prodded him forward from behind. After hundreds of pats on the back and much crowd wading, the peacekeepers had finally introduced Jack to his new house, and with some help from neighbors, as well as the victors, Jack and his family had moved in and settled in. Shortly after they had made themselves comfortable, Jack was surprised when his entire family presented him with several gifts.

_*******Flashback******_

_ Jack sat before his family on the couch, each of them holding a bundle of blankets in their laps. They had already explained their wish to give him a gift after the Games, and Jack was actually excited to see what he had gotten._

_His mother was first. She pulled a small paper package out from her bundle of blankets and handed it to him. In the package was a simple red cloth, long but thin._

_ "It's a headband," his mother explained, smiling at him._

_ Jack pulled it out. "It's red," he murmured, somehow knowing this was of importance._

_ His mother nodded. "For all the sacrifices made to get you back home," she explained quietly._

_ Jack hugged his mother tightly and then pulled back after a long moment. He wrapped the cloth around his head, opting to keep it there for a long time._

_ He then turned to his father, who was already holding out his bundle of blankets, wrapped around something long and thin. Curious, Jack unwrapped the blankets, his eyes widening at what his hands revealed.._

_ Inside were two katana. The scabbards were silver with golden designs twirling and crossing down the entire length. The hilts were wrapped in black leather. Jack tugged on one with caution, then drew it out of the scabbard. With a clean scraping sound, the white-silver blade came into view._

_ "It's purified steel," he father explained, seeing the awed question in his eyes. "Everyone in your mining sector pitched in, and we paid the other half with the temporary money we got after you won._

_ Jack sheathed the sword again and hugged his father roughly. Everyone who knew about this weapon also knew it was illegal to own. Jack was going to hide it as soon as he got the chance._

_ But first, Jack pulled back and glanced at Hazel, who held out her small bundle with a proud smile. Jack took it, expecting to find a paper card or something; instead he found a flat box. He pulled off the lid._

_There was necklace inside. It was made of a long black leather string, and hanging off the string was a smooth turquoise crystal. On either side of the crystal were very thin rods of gold and silver, as long as the crystal itself._

_ "It's a crystal necklace," Hazel said, grinning at him widely. "As long as you have it with you, you'll be okay."_

_ Hazel…" Jack said in awe, staring at the shiny crystal. "How did you get this?"_

_ Hazel smiled even wider. "The miners from your sector helped. One of them found some silver and gave it to me. Then another found gold and gave that to me too. And then Den came over and gave me the crystal. He said he'd found it in the mine too. They gave them to me for a gift. They all acted like you wouldn't come back. So I decided I would prove them wrong. I worked really hard for a really long time and got a bunch of part-time jobs. I finally saved up enough money to go to the blacksmith and have him mold the metal for me. And I had a jeweler make it into a necklace. It took a long time and a lot of money, but I did it!"_

_ Without another word, Jack leaned over and hugged his little sister. "Thank you," he told her. "It's amazing."_

_ He pulled away and slid the necklace over head until it was resting on his chest. He admired it for a long moment, thinking of the necklace he had seen Urea wearing in the arena. Now they were more of a matching set than ever._

_ "Thank you," he said, looking up at his family with misty eyes. Each of these gifts held a meaning deeper than their appearance. "Thank you."_

_*******End Flashback*******_

Jack sighed and stood. He'd been laying around all day, but with nothing better to do other than watch TV, he opted to lounge, since none of his family would let him go run errands with them anymore. He reached for the ceiling stretching up. Then he dropped his hands to his chest, where the necklace still rested. He hadn't taken it off once since Hazel had given it to him. Even when he was sleeping he kept it around his neck.

His hand went up to his forehead, with the red headband still wrapped around his hairline. That rarely came off too, and when he slept he kept it at his bedside table along with a dagger. Despite knowing that it was a precious gift from his mother, Jack couldn't help but think that it would make a good choking weapon if the need ever arose.

Speaking of weapons, he had stored the swords he got from his father into a hollow spot in the wall. If Jack ever needed them, he would have to punch through the wall itself, but at least they wouldn't be found if peacekeepers ever searched the house.

Jack's hand traveled down to his face. The slash cutting across his nose and cheek had been reduced to a thin scar that no doubt looked almost identical to Urea's save for hers ran the opposite direction. Beneath the scar, his red phoenix tattoo remained, a constant reminder of the good friend he had lost to the wrath of the Games.

But Rin had saved Hazel's life when she volunteered, and for that, Jack would be forever grateful.

And Hazel...Jack hadn't seen her all day. She had gone to run some errands, but she had been gone an awfully long time, and Jack was starting to worry. Despite their new status as the family of a Victor, his family was still in danger of muggers and thieves. Even District 12 had them.

Just then, there was a knock on the door and Jack dropped his hand to his side. "There she is," he muttered out loud, walking to the door. "Took her long enough."

Jack opened the door and furrowed his brow. There was no one there. He took a step forwards but ended up kicking something in front of his door. He looked down to see a box with a tiny note in it, along with something else…

Bile rose up in Jack's throat as he eyes instinctively examined the note, reading the words.

_The phoenix rose from the ashes, but in the same way did it fall._

If he had been anyone else, he would have no idea what the note was talking about and think the person who wrote it was a psychopath. But Jack was not someone else, and the note was painstakingly clear to him. Especially now that he could see why there had been a knock on the door. _Who _had knocked on the door.

It was Hazel

It was her head. _Only_ her head.

Jack screamed.

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><p><strong>And on that happy note, so concludes the first story of the Silence Series. I'll leave your imaginations to figure out what the note meant exactly. That's up to you guys. As Praetor of the First Legion of Jelly Crabs, I give your minds permission to roam. Have fun.<strong>

**The Second Story will be titled ****The 82****nd**** Hunger Games: Haunting Silence ****and should be out in a while. I plan on writing in a few chapters before completely starting it (so I don't get a huge lapse again) so don't be surprised if it takes a while. I'll post an AN on here when it's up.**

**Big thanks to everyone who reviewed this story! Also, thanks to all the people who favorited and followed! I didn't think this story would turn out this good, and for a while I almost stopped, but thanks to all of you awsome readers it's finally finished. THANKS!**

**PICKLES FOR THE WORLD!**

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><p><em>This has been a word of wisdom from the Praetor of the First Legion of Jelly Crabs.<em>


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